


Bits and Pieces

by JavisTG



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Canon Compliant, Catching Fire, Drabble Collection, F/M, Post-Mockingjay, Prequel, Romance, Sexual Content, everlark, growing back together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-04 00:36:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 21,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6633667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JavisTG/pseuds/JavisTG
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles from my tumblr account featuring Everlark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Brilliant Idea.

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble is for the lovely @akosiroxy who sent me the prompt:
> 
> Begin your drabble with the following sentence: “In my defense, it seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.”

Katniss raised her hands defensively, her eyes were wide with worry as she said, “In my defense, it seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.”

Peeta’s eyes narrowed, barely concealed anger laced his words when he asked, “Burning down my kitchen seemed like a brilliant idea?”

“I didn’t set out to burn it down!” she countered.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but you’re standing in a cloud of smoke. And that thing behind you? Yes! The one you’re trying to cover with your body, that’s a burnt wall! What were you thinking of?” he demanded.

Her shoulders slumped forward. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” she admitted in defeat.

She looked so small and fragile standing in the middle of the large room. Her arms were wrapped around her petite frame, and her knuckles looked white as she dug her fingers into her flesh.

Peeta stood still, he took a couple of deep breaths and waited for his heartbeat to slow down.

It was the crack of dawn; he’d been sound asleep when the acrid smell of smoke had tickled his nostrils and settled on his throat. He’d woken up with a start, dazed and confused as he fought the fogginess clouding his mind. It had taken him a few moments to remember he was at home in Victors’ Village.

The sound of a window being pushed open downstairs had terrified him. A barrage of questions had flooded his tormented mind. Was someone invading his house? Why was there smoke in his room? Had they set his furniture on fire? Were they trying to kill him in his sleep?

Without a second thought, he’d adjusted his prosthetic and rushed down the stairs.

That’s when he’d seen her. Katniss. Moving frantically around the kitchen. 

She held a wet tea towel in her hands, and she was waving it around as she imitated the movement of a fan in a desperate attempt to direct the tongues of thick smoke towards the open window.

She must have heard his heavy steps as he approached her because she had frozen in place as soon as he’d reached the bottom of the stairs.

Slowly, she’d turned to face him. That’s when she’d started talking.

The smoke had begun to clear. Peeta’s anger subsided, and he analyzed the scene in front of him. Other than the remnants of smoke and the scorched wall everything seemed to be in order. He couldn’t identify the source of the fire, but everything indicated it was under control.

Katniss was clearly shaken, though. Whatever her plan had been, she had obviously meant no wrong.

Annoyance gave way to worry as he finally registered the dejection etched on his girlfriend’s beautiful face. He rushed over to where she was standing and opened his arms to her. Relief washed over him as he felt her welcoming his embrace.

A moment later, he asked, “Are you ok?”

She nodded.

“Alright, so what were you trying to do?”

“Well, your birthday’s coming up soon, and I wanted to do something special for you,” she explained. “I thought it would be nice if I helped you out with the early shift.”

“Oh, Katniss,” he whispered, feeling incredibly guilty for his initial reaction. “But, I don’t get it, though. You’ve helped me with prepping and baking tons of times. You know how to do this. What happened this time?”

Katniss tightened her hold on him before speaking into his chest, “I was making something new,” she confessed, her words were partially muffled by his soft sleep shirt as she added,“ I was trying to bake a cake.”

Peeta held his breath as tears pooled in his eyes. He could have blamed the smoke in the room, but he knew that Katniss’s words, tightly wrapped around his heart, were the real culprit. 

A cake. No one had ever made a cake for him, not even his dad.

In the steadiest voice he could manage he asked, “You were baking a cake? For me?”

Katniss nodded, “Yeah, I got the recipe from one of your books. Everything was going fine… until I fell asleep,” her voice was barely a whisper when she added, “by the time I woke up your oven was on fire. I’m sorry.”

Peeta chuckled “Don’t apologize,” he said as he gently rubbed her back, “it was a brilliant idea. I’m just glad you didn’t get hurt.”

Katniss pulled away slightly, she looked into his eyes and smiled, “At least my little adventure wasn’t a complete waste of time,” she said.

“It wasn’t?”

“Nope.”

Katniss disentangled herself from Peeta’s embrace and walked over to the countertop. In his confused and angry state, he had failed to notice the tea towel extended over a tray on top of the work surface.

Peeta’s eyes widened in surprise as Katniss lifted the cloth and revealed three rows of neatly aligned loaves of bread. The crusts were golden and crisp; they looked delicious and perfect.

“Those look perfect, Katniss!”

“I know!” she said proudly. “So, today’s bread is ready, and the fire has been contained. Why don’t you just go back to bed for a little while?” she suggested.

Peeta’s cheeks reddened as he asked, “come with me?”

She smiled and walked back to where he was standing. “Now that’s a brilliant idea!” she said.


	2. Late for Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This drabble is for arabeth-thea and AlwaysEverlark (@otrascosasseries on tumblr).
> 
> The idea for the drabble came from a conversation about Catching Fire CH.9. When Katniss comes home to find peacekeepers waiting for her.  
> You can find the full conversation here: http://arabeth-thea.tumblr.com/post/143825363995/cf-rethg-ch-9-lake-trip
> 
> The prompt was: Can you imagine what Peeta must have felt when she walked through the door, looking like that?

Peeta's heart practically stopped at the sight of her, dressed in the high-tech protective gear he knew Cinna had designed for her.

 

Katniss's cheeks were flushed. Her hair was wet and wild from being stuffed under a hood. She was out of breath. She'd evidently been walking for a while.

 

Peeta wondered how far into the woods she’d gone before her need to protect her loved ones had kicked in forcing her to head back home.

 

The peacekeepers weren’t happy. Their suspicious glares unnerved him, but he was so relieved to see Katniss that he ignored the knot in his stomach and lied through his teeth.

 

Eventually, the peacekeepers left.

 

Peeta was sure they hadn't believed the victors’ song and dance, but he was grateful they had chosen to leave them alone. Their stern warning hung in the air as the door closed behind them.

 

His heart dropped when Katniss collapsed in his arms. The insistence with which she held on to him as he led her to the couch was enough to quiet the cynical voice in his head which delighted in reminding him he was nothing but an imposition in her life.

 

Later, in the safety of her darkened bedroom, he’d voiced his fears.

 

“Almost thought you’d changed your mind tonight,” he said.

 

“No. I would have told you,” she assured him.

 

He didn't know if it was the tenderness in her voice or the way she locked her eyes with his like she was inviting him to dive into a pool of crystalline silver. But her words left him breathless.

 

His heart raced as she pressed her cheek to the back of his hand to breathe him in. He would have happily crawled inside her lungs if it meant keeping her close, keeping her safe.

 

“Stay with me,” she asked as she tightened her grip on his hand.

 

“Always,” he vowed because there was nothing he wanted more than to crawl into bed with her and hold her through the night, every night.  

 

He sat by her side and watched as she drifted off into a deep sleep. Her hand felt heavy in his, and he worried about the next few hours. He shivered as he imagined the nightmares she was going to have. He could almost see her, scared and confused, as she clutched the covers and screamed into the night.

 

Prim’s steps echoed in the empty hallway as she approached the room. He turned to face the doorway and found her leaning against the doorframe.

 

He sighed, whether he liked it or not, his private visit with Katniss was over. Reluctantly, he pried his hand free of Katniss's grip. He stood up and joined the youngest Everdeen in the hallway.

 

The blond girl smiled sadly at him. She clearly didn't want to be there, pushing him out the door. But Mrs. Everdeen was trying to keep an aura of respectability around the house, and she had put up with enough irregularities for one night.

 

He knew it was completely unnecessary, but, as he was saying goodbye to Prim, he couldn't stop himself from asking, "Stay with her tonight?"

 

Prim nodded, a silent confirmation of her devotion to her sister. Her pale blue eyes, bright as a winter’s sky, shone under the hallway light, and he was shocked by how much she reminded him of Katniss. A fiercely loyal sister, trying to keep her sibling safe.

 

Her voice was barely a whisper when she asked, “What do you do, Peeta, when she wakes up screaming in the middle of the night?”

 

"I just hold her,” he admitted, ”I tell her that everything's OK. That the monsters aren't real.”

 

Prim considered his answer for a moment. He recognized the healer in her, determined to find a remedy for her sister’s affliction. 

 

A scowl settled on her face and she huffed in frustration, “And She believes you?” she questioned.

 

Her disbelieving frown brought a smile to his lips, and he nodded.

 

“Sometimes I get her to drink water,” he added, “ it wakes her up and clears her mind a bit,” he offered, hoping the new information would satisfy Prim’s need for practical advice.

 

He was halfway down the corridor when Prim’s voice reached him, "Peeta, thanks for being here," she said.

 

He turned to face her, the young girl who had been originally chosen as his district partner. Katniss had volunteered to keep her out of the arena. But, even though she'd been spared from experiencing the Games, she still had to see her sister suffer. He knew a small part of her blamed herself for Katniss's nightmares and sleepless nights. It was a feeling he was very familiar with, after all.

 

With a dismissive shake of his head, he answered, “you're welcome, Prim. You know you can call me anytime, right? I'm only three doors down.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” she said, smiling warmly at him before turning around and walking into her sister’s room.

 

The cold winter night kissed his cheeks as he made his way home. It had been a long day, and he was exhausted, but he knew the information dancing in his head wouldn't let him sleep. 

 

Over the last few weeks, he had seen the number of peacekeepers grow. The newcomers were strict. He had already seen them in action, always quick to punish any transgression. But, somehow, the activation of the fence seemed extremely personal. Very few people went into the woods, even fewer during the winter. Was today's development another message from President Snow? A ‘friendly’ reminder of his power over their everyday lives?

 

For what felt like the millionth time since he’d been declared victor, Peeta wished he had eaten those berries. Maybe then, he thought, Katniss would be free.

 

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. It was pointless to think that way. He couldn't change the past any more than he could change the way his heart sped up every time Katniss Everdeen walked into a room.

 

They were all doomed, and there was nothing he could do about it.

 

His steps had taken him into his empty kitchen. He wasn't ready to go to bed just yet so he grabbed a recipe book he’d borrowed from the bakery. Trying out new recipes was usually a good way to pass the time.

 

He flipped through the pages until he landed on something that caught his eye. He smiled, his heart already racing at the thought of Katniss's face when he showed up with freshly baked cheese buns for breakfast the next morning.

 


	3. Cheese Buns for Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late for Dinner. Part 2.  
> This drabble is for AlwaysEverlark (@otrascosaseries on Tumblr) who challenged me to write “What Peeta thought when he found Katniss spying on him?”
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

 

The sun was peeking over the rooftops of Victors’ Village when Peeta walked back into Katniss's house. There was a biting chill in the morning air, but the basket filled with freshly baked cheese buns kept his hands warm.

 

According to Mrs. Everdeen, Katniss’s injuries weren’t too serious, and all she needed was to stay off her feet for a couple of weeks.

 

Katniss’s first reaction to the news had been to scowl and huff. The prospect of spending days trapped indoors evidently annoyed her, but she knew better than to challenge her mother whenever medicine was involved. Still, she had spent the first few hours of her confinement grunting her dissatisfaction to whoever cared to listen.

 

Things had quickly changed once the golden, fragrant bread rolls had arrived. Her hunter’s nose had picked up their scent as soon as Peeta had walked through the door, and she had immediately hollered his name, summoning him to her bedroom.

 

He almost laughed out loud when he saw her glowering at his empty hands. With an apologetic shrug, he explained Mrs. Everdeen was holding the precious pastries hostage. If Katniss wanted to eat them, she had to go to the kitchen, like everyone else.

 

Following Mrs. Everdeen’s instructions, Peeta offered to carry Katniss to the ground floor.

 

He’d barely finished speaking when she beckoned him to approach the bed. As soon as he reached her side she had thrown her arms around his neck and asked him to carry her down the stairs.

 

He had complied, walking slowly, with careful, measured steps, and holding her tightly against his chest as she snuggled into his arms. Her warm breath tickled his neck, and he pressed his lips to the top of her head. All too soon, they reached the kitchen where he lowered her onto a chair.

 

Once the cheese buns had been consumed, Katniss’s foul mood returned. She asked to be moved to the living room couch where she sat with arms crossed and a frown plastered on her face.

 

The afternoon had dragged on as Mrs. Everdeen and Peeta tried to keep their patient entertained. They challenged her to games of checkers and chess, and they suggested card games. Peeta offered to share one of his puzzles with her and Mrs. Everdeen even tried to coax her into working on a project to develop her talent.

 

Nothing worked. Katniss rejected most of their suggestions and, even when she accepted one, she soon grew tired and went back to sulking and staring at the wall.

 

Peeta waited patiently by her side and watched her sulk. He could tell something was troubling her, and that whatever had happened the previous day weighed heavily on her mind. He wished he could ask her about it, but their houses were probably being monitored, so he pushed his anxiety aside and focused his energy on finding an appropriate distraction for her instead.

 

It was almost dinnertime when Mrs. Everdeen came into the living room with a thick, worn book nestled between her hands. Katniss’s eyes widened in recognition and, for the first time since breakfast, she smiled. Really smiled.

 

The book was old, and some of the pages had begun to fade. Katniss touched every one of them with careful reverence. Slowly, lovingly she shared each page with Peeta. She explained the book had been in her mother’s family for generations, and that it contained a lot of the information Mrs. Everdeen used on a daily basis.

 

The sadness in her voice when she said the book had sparked some of her parents’ first conversations made Peeta's chest tighten. He hadn’t forgotten his father’s story about the beautiful apothecary’s daughter and the miner who had stolen her heart.

 

When she reached the last section of the book, she told him about her dad’s addition to the catalog. The pride in her voice brought a smile to Peeta’s lips.

 

She reached the page with the rendering of a dandelion, and she paused. She barely touched the paper as her trembling fingers traced the outline of the simple interpretation of the weed.

 

Her voice was almost a whisper when she said, “There are a few new things that I’d like to add.”

 

“You should do it,” he encouraged her, “you should continue with your family’s tradition.”

 

“Yeah. It’s just… I can’t draw,” she confessed. “I could write the explanations, but without images, they wouldn’t be enough.”

 

Time stood still as Peeta’s mind raced through a thousand different ways to offer his help. He wanted so badly to be a part of this, her everyday life, her history. But he didn’t want to pressure her. Eventually, he settled for the simplest approach he could think of, “I could help you… If you want.”

 

“Yes!” she answered nodding enthusiastically, “that… that would be perfect, Peeta!”

 

So there they were. Sitting at the kitchen table, side by side.

 

It hadn’t taken long for them to establish a pattern. Each new entry began with Katniss’s detailed explanation. Before writing anything, Katniss would tell him everything she knew about the plant she wanted to record.

 

The things she remembered about each plant amazed him, and he was surprised by how easy it was for her to describe them. He had never seen her being so passionate about anything other than Prim or hunting before, and he couldn't believe she’d willingly share such a private part of her life with him.

 

He wondered if it meant they were truly becoming friends.

 

Sometimes he’d close his eyes and imagine a life in which he and Katniss hadn't met on the reaping stage. An alternate universe in which cheese buns and sketches lead to shy smiles and stolen kisses which were always pure. Always real.

 

Peeta tried to follow every detail Katniss gave him. He would make several drafts and share them with her. He didn’t dare touch the book until he was certain she was satisfied with his work.

 

Some pictures took longer than others, but the addition of Peeta’s delicate strokes and vibrant colors brought Katniss’s old book back to life.

 

They had been working on the book for a few days when it began. He noticed them almost immediately, the shy, furtive glances she cast in his direction. It didn’t bother him. He liked feeling her eyes caressing his skin, but he didn’t know what to make of it, this sudden interest she seemed to have in him.

 

What truly amused him, was that she thought she was as discreet as Buttercup on a hunting expedition. She had never been a good actress, and the sudden interest she seemed to develop in the small scraps of paper she constantly held in her hands was always suspicious.

 

As days went by she became bolder; letting her eyes linger on him as he worked mixing colors and creating textures for the book.

 

He was carefully outlining the outer petals of an Echinacea bloom when he felt Katniss’s insistent gaze on him. Slowly, he lifted his gaze towards the oven door placed right in front of him. Using the tempered glass surface as a mirror, he scanned the room. His eyes met Katniss’s through the reflection and his heart leaped. There was nothing subtle about the way she was staring at him now.

 

The tenderness and affection he found in her eyes sent a rush of unexpected warmth through his body. He smiled, feeling oddly complete, no longer an outcast, a useless piece of the puzzle.

 

Suddenly, he felt the urge to say something, to acknowledge the fact that, despite their circumstances they had finally managed to build something real together, but he didn’t want to break the delicate balance they had found. So, once again, he settled for the one idea that said it all. “You know; I think this is the first time we’ve ever done anything normal together,” he said.

 

“Yeah, nice for a change,” she answered.

 

Peeta went back to his drawing. He tried to focus on the task at hand, but he was still flustered. The effect of Katniss’s eyes locked with his still lingered within him. The wistfulness of her last words hung in the air. Giving him hope.

 

He knew Mr. Everdeen’s talents as a gatherer had won him his wife’s heart. Who was to say Peeta's talent with a paintbrush wouldn’t do the same with his daughter? 

 

 

 


	4. Childhood Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for D12 Drabbles on Tumblr. Prompt 6: Childhood.
> 
> “…I was only just thinking of those chalk drawings we used to do on the paving stones. Yours were so wonderful. Remember when you made each one a different animal?”
> 
> “Yeah. Pigs and cats and things,” says Peeta.  
> Mockingjay p189
> 
> Canon compliant prequel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank Burkygirl, HPfanonezillion, and ForFutureReference for being lovely people, and taking the time to look at my work and make it better. You guys rock!

There was nothing six-year-old Katniss Everdeen liked better than going out into the woods with her dad.

 

Every Sunday morning Katniss woke up at the crack of dawn. Her father’s warm hands tenderly brushed the hair away from her face as she lay in bed, welcoming her back from the land of dreams.

 

Dashiell Everdeen smiled as his daughter stretched lazily between the sheets, and hummed softly as he carried her into his room, where she changed into her hunting clothes without waking her baby sister.

 

Cold, crisp air, thick with dew, kissed Katniss's cheeks when she stepped out onto the unlit street.

 

The young girl burrowed her nose into the green scarf her mom had knit for her. The scratchy garment made her cheeks itch, and she wished the sun would come out soon so she could rid herself of it.

 

Her heart raced in anticipation as she walked hand-in-hand with her father along the deserted streets of the Seam towards the electrified fence.

 

Her excitement always made her father smile. He gently squeezed her hand in his and whispered, "Hold on, Little Blackbird, you have to walk before you can fly."

 

Once they reached their exit point, her dad let go of her hand and pulled on the chicken wire fence to grant her access to the woods.

 

Shy sunbeams gleamed through the trees as father and daughter made their way through the forest. The sounds of nature coming back to life surrounded them. The entire world seemed to be at peace as the scent of wet dirt and pine needles blended with the sunshine and the song of birds.

 

Dashiell lead the way. He selected his route carefully, always looking for the areas where the soft moss and the damp earth would mask his footsteps. His daughter followed, carefully stepping wherever his feet left their mark.

 

At six years old Katniss could make her way silently through the forest. She was able to recognize the flutter of the hummingbird's wings, and she could identify the smell of the wild echinacea flower.

 

She was also an excellent climber, taking on the tallest trees by using her thin arms and legs to hold on to the thick trunks until she reached the lower branches. Her slender fingers and quick reflexes were perfect for snatching quail’s eggs directly from their nests.

 

She loved swimming in the crystalline lake, and she knew how to trap the fat trout which swam in it with her bare hands. She spent hours on end splashing about the clear pool, watching the geese and ducks roaming freely along the lake’s shore as her dad picked medicinal plants and herbs.

 

Katniss loved those sunny days, filled with song and laughter, but the thing she liked the most was to see her father shooting his bow. She thought he looked like a king, elegant and mighty as he stood, still as a statue, and waited for his prey to come.

 

She wanted to join him so badly! She could hardly wait for the day when he would finally finish the bow she knew he was making for her.

 

The mornings in the woods were always followed by a trip to the Hob.

 

The noisy warehouse turned the fearless adventurer, who snatched quail's eggs from unattended nests, into a six-year-old who wouldn't let go of her father's hand.

 

The strong smells and the racket of the illegal market overwhelmed her, so she tightened her grip on her father's hand, pretending to be tough as vendors and patrons milled around Dashiell and traded their wares with him.

 

The rest of the morning passed quickly as father and daughter walked around the merchant quarter distributing the day’s spoils.  

 

The bakery was always the last stop on their route. Unlike the Hob, the shop was warm and clean. Sunlight filtered through the large windows making the polished countertop glow. The smell of freshly baked bread tickled Katniss's nose making her mouth water. She was ready for lunch.

 

Mr. Mellark greeted them from across the counter. He was a friendly man with a deep, soothing voice who always greeted the Everdeens with a smile. Katniss liked him.

He leaned over the counter and asked, "What's in that bag of yours, Little Lady?" His eyes looked pointedly at the small satchel which hung across Katniss's shoulder. "Did you catch me a deer?" he teased.

 

"No!" she huffed, "a deer wouldn't fit here! Right, Daddy?" she asked, eyebrows pinched, and tone laced with uncertainty.

 

Dashiell, amused by his daughter's sudden trepidation, chuckled and confirmed, "No, Katniss. It wouldn't."

 

Later, as they walked down the front steps of the bakery, Dashiell suddenly stopped.

 

"Hey, Katniss, look at that," he said as he pointed to the sidewalk.

 

Katniss's eyes widened as she took in the sketches on the paving stones. Right there, next to her feet, were the most artistic doodles she had ever seen.

 

There were plump pink pigs with corkscrew-shaped tails and full cheeks, orange tabbies with long whiskers and big green eyes, and birds. All kinds of birds!

 

Katniss scanned the sidewalk, carefully inspecting every single flying creature. There were red cardinals and yellow warblers, majestic eagles and small canaries. But most importantly, there were ducks. An entire family of them!

 

Their rounded bodies and open bills made her laugh. She could almost see them moving along the pavement, balancing their big bottoms between their short legs and quacking happily as they crossed the street.

 

"Look, Daddy!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. "That's us! That's you and Mom and Prim." She pointed at each one of the different ducks as she spoke.

 

"And where are you?" Dashiell asked, slightly concerned about the lack of a fourth duck.

 

"Here!" she said, pointing to the sketch of a Blackbird in mid-flight. "That's me, ‘your Little Blackbird’," she added proudly.

 

Dashiell chuckled, evidently amused by his daughter's explanations, and held his hand out to her.

 

"Come on, Little Blackbird, time to go home. Mom and Prim are waiting for us."

 

Katniss took one last look at the sketches on the floor. Whoever made them was certainly very talented. For a brief instant, she wondered who it might have been.

 

She was still smiling when she grabbed her father's hand, ready to head home.

 

Across the street, a six-year-old boy with ashy blond hair stopped hopping, along the chalk diagram he had drawn on the pavement, and stood still.

His blue eyes followed the small girl with the two braids and her dad. He watched them as they stopped by the bakery's front steps and analyzed the drawings on the ground. The boy's smile widened as he realized the pair was inspecting his handiwork.

 

“C’mon, Peeta! It’s called HOP-scotch, not stand-and-stare-into-space-scotch,” his friend Delly complained.

 

Peeta rolled his eyes. Delly was a good friend, but she could be as delicate as a tractor sometimes. “All right, no need to get nasty here,” he grumbled as he finished hopping along the painted squares.

 

Delly took her turn skipping on the pavement, and Peeta turned his eyes back to the father and child who had started walking towards the Seam. Katniss’s braids bounced against her shoulders as she walked, and Peeta could see her hands gesturing animatedly in front of her as she spoke to her dad.

 

Peeta smiled. The girl with the silver eyes and the beautiful voice had never paid any attention to him. He didn't blame her. He never knew what to say whenever she was around. He still couldn't believe his drawings had had such an effect on her!

 

Drunk on the thrill of his victory he reached a decision. People could communicate in more ways than one. So even if his mother scolded him for mucking up the entrance to the store every Sunday, he would continue to leave his drawings on the sidewalk exactly where he knew Katniss would see them.

 

Who knew? Maybe one day, once Katniss realized he was responsible for the lovely pictures she liked, she'd be the one to start a conversation.


	5. Only You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what came over me last night, but I ended up writing my first smutty one-shot. It's not very good, but I decided to share it anyways. Soo, consider yourselves warned. Poorly written sexy scene up ahead. As usual, un-betaed.  
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Canon compliant, Post MJ / Pre-epilogue.

 

"Fuck, Katniss! You're practically naked," Peeta groaned as his hand found the exposed flesh of her ass under her skirt.

 

Katniss smiled against his lips, congratulating herself on her choice of underwear.

 

The delicate lace thong she wore had been a part of her Capitol wedding trousseau. She had never used it before, considering it impractical and too provocative for a girl who had been ravaged by war and fire. She had almost returned it to its drawer and wore her usual granny panties instead. But, the extreme heat and the light fabric of her dress had inspired her to do otherwise.

 

She had almost regretted her decision when the weather had turned, sending capricious gusts of wind which threatened to expose the tender flesh of her backside. She had spent all morning fretting, not exactly eager to flash her friends and neighbors during the mid-summer fair. But now, Peeta's appreciative moans were making it all worth it.

 

She rose to the tips of her toes. Her lips reached the shell of his ear, and she whispered, "Do you like it?"

 

"I love it," he murmured. His warm breath tickled the base of her neck making her body tremble.

 

Their lips met once more. Time seemed to vanish as they explored each other's mouths.

 

Blindly, they stepped towards the back of the room. The soft thud of Katniss’s back hitting the wall stopped their travel.

 

Peeta pressed up against her, trapping her body between the wall and his solid frame. Katniss gasped. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

 

Peeta's hands firmly gripped her rear as he lifted her off the ground. Katniss wrapped her legs around his waist, locking herself in place.

 

His hard-on pressed against her aching core sending a blast of heat through her body.

 

“I need you,” she whimpered, as blood, thick as molten lava, coursed through her veins making her lightheaded.

 

“I need you too,” he answered, rolling his hips against hers.

 

Katniss pushed back, meeting every move of his body with one of her own.

 

Their eyes locked as their movements gathered speed and intensity. Their breaths mingled, and their soft moans echoed each other as they raced to the point of no return.

 

Every muscle in her body tensed. The fire building in her core exploded inside of her, and she gasped, “Peeta!”

 

Her eyes closed shut as she let go, finally falling into the blissful precipice of release.

 

Gradually, Peeta's  movements became more erratic. A few moments later he stilled, screwing his eyes shut and crying out her name as he climaxed.

 

Breathless and disheveled, Katniss climbed down from Peeta’s embrace and leaned against the wall.

 

Peeta rested his forearm on the partition, high above Katniss’s head, and pressed his forehead against it as he tried to catch his breath. His hand traveled along Katniss's arm, tangling his fingers with hers when he reached her hand.

 

“You ok?” he murmured, voice low and hoarse in the aftermath of his release.

 

Katniss chuckled and squeezed his hand. “Never better,” she said, turning to face him. “I’d never felt this good,” she admitted.

 

“Never?” Peeta frowned, “you'd never…?”

 

Katniss shook her head. “Nope,” her already flushed cheeks felt like they were going to burst into flames as she explained, “I’ve never done this before.”

 

Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes fell to the floor. “How pathetic is that?” she muttered.

 

“Hey!” Peeta let go of her hand and hooked his index under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “You're not pathetic. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I just assumed you'd done this… you know… before…” he raised his eyebrows, begging her to understand what he meant.

 

Katniss scowled. “By ‘before’ you mean Gale, right?”

 

His hand dropped to his side, releasing her chin. He averted his eyes and nodded.

 

Katniss huffed, her hands reached Peeta's face. It was her turn to make him face her.

 

“Listen carefully, Peeta Mellark, because I’m not going to say this again. I NEVER liked Gale Hawthorne like that. He was my friend AND my hunting partner. But. That. Was. It,” she said, carefully enunciating every word.

 

“You did kiss him, though,” Peeta countered, his blue eyes challenged her.

 

Katniss nodded, “I did, but I shouldn't have. It was a mistake. Honestly, it was almost like kissing my brother,” she added.

 

Peeta closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, he expelled the air from his lungs. His eyes settled on hers once more.

 

“Real?” he asked. The edge of uncertainty in his voice pulled at her heartstrings. She hated that her actions had caused him so much pain.

 

“Real. I’ve only ever wanted you,” she confirmed, nodding emphatically as she spoke.

 

She had barely finished speaking when Peeta lowered his mouth to hers. His kiss, soft and slow, rekindled the fire within them.

 

Her heart raced madly against her chest, and she felt lightheaded. She gasped trying to get her heart to slow down, and fisted the front of his shirt in her hands.

 

Peeta's hands were making their way back to her bottom. She could feel his fingers eagerly pulling on the fabric of her dress, lifting it over her thighs once more.

 

She was so lost in their kiss, reveling in the feeling of Peeta’s warm body pressed against her own that she almost didn’t hear the soft giggles coming from the other side of the wall. Almost.

 

Peeta froze in place. He had heard them too.

 

Reluctantly he let go of her dress and took a step back.

 

“We should probably head back out,” he said.

 

The disappointment in his voice almost made her laugh. But she didn’t. She knew exactly how he felt.

 

“Do we really have to?” she asked.

 

“Unless you want Greasy Sae or one of her customers to find us here…”

 

The thought of Greasy Sae catching them in the back room of her diner cooled her down immediately.

 

Chuckling, she shook her head and confirmed, “no, I definitely don’t want that.”

 

“Then I don’t think we have a choice.”

 

Peeta watched as Katniss smoothed out her hair and dress. “You really are beautiful, you know? I still can’t believe we’re here together,” he whispered.

 

Katniss smiled. There’d been a time when Peeta’s words of love would have sent her running for the woods, but those days were gone. She knew how precious those words were, she wasn’t taking them for granted anymore.

 

She stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him, a sweet peck which spoke more of friendship and trust than it did of passion.

 

“Take me home,” she asked.

 

They made their way out of the room and into the open air. The sky had cleared, and a cool breeze tickled Katniss’s exposed skin. She smiled, thinking about the way Peeta’s hands had traveled over her body, and how good he had felt pressed up against her when her back was to the wall. The memory of his lips, igniting that fire deep within her made her heart race.

 

With a determined swing of her arm, she grabbed Peeta’s hand and picked up her pace. She couldn’t wait to get home.

 

 


	6. Favorite Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a little something I wrote inspired by @everlarkedalways “Favorite Fantasy” theme. 
> 
> Catching Fire is my favorite book in the trilogy, and it always breaks my heart that Katniss and Peeta are forced apart by the Quarter Quell announcement. My "favorite fantasy" is to see them working together, without secrets, as they train for the Quell. I would have loved it if Katniss had been able to open up to Peeta and told him how she really felt. It would have made everything so much easier for them down the road.
> 
> I might eventually turn this little snippet into something more. Let me know what you think.

 

“Katniss!”

 

The sound of Peeta’s voice, clear and commanding in the darkened street, stopped her in her tracks.

 

The Quarter Quell announcement had sent her running for cover. She had left her house in a hurry, determined to curl into a ball and hide; bent on finding a nice dark hole in which to vanish.

 

She had barely made it out the door when Peeta’s voice reached her. Her first instinct had been to ignore his plea and keep on running, but the months of friendship and affection turned that into an impossibility.

 

“What do you want?” she snapped, turning to face him.

 

“Nothing,” he said, his voice broken and hurt in the cold dark night. “I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

 

A mirthless laugh poured out of her, “sure. I’m fine,” she shook her head. “I’m perfectly alright!” she yelled.

 

Peeta stood still as a statue in the deserted street.  His eyes shone under the pale moonlight. Slowly, he opened his arms out to her.

 

It took all of three seconds for her to reach him and walk straight into his embrace.

 

Defeated, she wrapped her arms tightly around his ribcage desperate for the feel of his arms enveloping her.

 

He pulled her close, pressing her body against his own. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, and he whispered, “You’re not alone. I’m right here.”

 

Broken and tired she buried her face in Peeta’s chest and cried. Tears, warm and hopeless ran down her cheeks soaking Peeta’s sweater.

 

Later, once her tears had stopped, he lead her back into her house.

 

Prim and Mrs. Everdeen watched wide-eyed as the two victors made their way up the stairs and into Katniss’s room.

 

“Well, at least he’s brought her back,” the healer said.

 

**XXXXX**

 

“Gale’s here,” Prim’s soft voice announced through the open door.

 

They were in Katniss’s bedroom. She was sitting on her bed with her legs folded in front of her chest. Her arms, wrapped firmly around her body, kept her balanced.

 

Peeta sat on the armchair directly across from her. His elbows rested on his knees, and his eyes were trained on the floor. He looked exhausted. He sighed loudly and turned to face Katniss.

 

“You should go talk to him,” he said, “he’s probably worried sick.”

 

Slowly, Katniss nodded. “I’ll be there in a minute,” she told her sister.

 

Prim left the room, and Katniss turned to face Peeta once more.

 

“I’ll ask him for help,” she said, “he knows a lot about survival techniques. Setting up snares and traps and stuff. He might be able to help.”

 

“Fine,” Peeta said, his voice strained in the quiet stillness of the room.

 

After a moment she added, “you should go get your things while I’m with him. Bring a few basics… a fresh change of clothes. I still have a lot of space in my closet,” she said, gesturing towards the back of her room, “I don’t mind sharing.”

 

His eyes, bright and pleading, locked with hers. “Are you sure about this, Katniss?”

 

Noiselessly, as a hunter who's located its prey, Katniss moved off the bed. Her eyes never let go of Peeta's as she walked over to where he sat and knelt down in front of him. Her hand brushed a blond wave away from his face.

 

“I’m sure,” she whispered, “I’m not letting President Snow take this away from us.”

 

Peeta nodded. Understanding glowing bright in his deep blue eyes. Suddenly, he wrapped his hand around the base of her head and pulled her to him, softly pressing his lips against hers.

 

Her free hand reached for his knee and pushed his legs open. Taking advantage of his new position, she shuffled toward him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and bringing him even closer.  

 

They kissed, slowly at first, losing themselves in the thrill of finally doing this in private, away from prying eyes. Their hearts raced with the knowledge that they weren’t doing this for anyone else but them.

 

Warm blood rushed through Katniss’s veins making her needy and desperate. Peeta’s kisses fed a fire deep within her, and she craved for more. She reached for him, pulling his body flush against hers, as she silently begged him to burn her to the ground. She was breathless and dizzy, and she held on to him, overcome with the need to scorch him with her fire.

 

It was almost as if the world had stopped moving. For a brief moment in time, nothing and no one mattered. For the first time in years, Katniss was truly happy. She knew the world was burning. Hell, she was burning along with it! But, for one brief instant, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

 

 _We’ve earned this_ , she thought, _one moment that’s just for us. Even if I don’t deserve it, Peeta certainly does._

 

All too soon, Peeta pulled away, breathless and flushed. His eyes twinkled in the darkened room shooting sparks of want through her spine. When he smiled, her heart lit up. She was weightless and bright. A flickering flame dancing in his arms.

 

Gently, Peeta pressed his forehead against hers. His voice, low and hoarse, reached directly into her heart when he pleaded, “please tell me this is real.”

 

She trembled in his arms, terrified of her feelings but no longer capable of denying them.

 

“It is, Peeta,” she whispered, “It’s real.”

 

 

 


	7. Happy Stories.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon compliant, Everlark during the Victory Tour.
> 
> I wrote this for Everlark Birthday Drabbles on Tumblr to celebrate @withheartfulloflove's birthday.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

 

“Tell me a happy story,” she asked.

 

Peeta's forehead creased, “A what?”

 

They were on the train, looking out the window as the wheat fields of District 9 passed them by.

 

It had been a long day. Effie had woken them up at the crack of dawn to visit the cattle ranches of District 10, and they hadn’t had a break since.

 

Hours had slipped away as they talked to government officials, delivered speeches in front of the assembled crowds, smiled, and kissed for the cameras. Just one more stop on the constant nightmare the Capitol liked to call ‘The Victory Tour.'

 

It was getting dark.

 

Katniss turned to face Peeta, who was seating on the couch by her side.

 

“A happy story,” she repeated.

 

It was a diversion, just an excuse, a way to get to get him to talk and to avoid the loneliness of her room and the terror of the nightmares which would certainly follow if she went to sleep.

 

“C’mon, Peeta, It’s not that hard,” she teased, “Even I had a happy story to tell,” she said, referring to the tale she had told him in the cave about Prim and her goat.

 

Peeta chuckled, “Well, an edited version,” he reminded her, “But, yeah, it’s true. You did share a happy story once.”

 

Katniss’s smile fell, “I’m sorry.”

 

She turned to face the floor and began fidgeting with her hands. A nervous tick which Peeta now found extremely familiar.

 

Confused by her reaction, Peeta asked, “What are you apologizing for?”

 

“Lying. You know? In my story.”

 

Peeta reached across the couch, grabbed her hand and gave it a little squeeze. “Don’t,” he said as he tried to reassure her, “It’s no big deal, Katniss. You only lied about the money, and really, it’s not like you had a choice. You couldn’t exactly talk about hunting out in the woods on live television.”

 

Katniss nodded, relieved that he wasn’t really upset. Grateful that he understood why she’d tainted her happy memory with a lie.

 

The soft caress of his thumb over the back of her hand brought back memories of the previous night. Effie’s sleeping pills had trapped her in her nightmares and Peeta had been there to pull her out. She wanted to ask him to stay with her once more, but their friendship was still new and shy, she didn’t want to risk what they had.

 

Peeta’s soft voice brought her out of her thoughts. “So, what did you catch?” he asked.

 

“When?” she asked, arching her eyebrows in confusion.

 

“For Prim’s birthday,” he clarified, “It must have been something big if it gave you enough money to buy a goat, even a sick one. Was it a wild boar?”

 

Katniss burst out laughing and shook her head. “No, it wasn’t a wild boar. But you’re right, it was something big.”

 

Peeta let go of her hand and began rubbing his chin as he considered his options. “Ok, so not a wild boar, then. Hmm, let me think… Oh! Right, a bear!” he exclaimed, “No, wait, a small bear,” he amended.

 

Katniss shook her head and chuckled, “I’ve never killed a bear in my life! Not even a small one.”

 

“Huh,” the mock disappointment in Peeta’s tone only made Katniss laugh harder. He smiled. “Alright, so no wild boars and no bears. I guess that leaves us with… a deer,” his voice turned serious as he stated, “you caught a deer.”

 

“Yep,” she nodded, “we caught a deer.”

 

Minutes passed. Katniss sipped the hot chocolate she had ordered in an attempt to distract herself. Her eyelids felt heavier by the second, but she refused to let her eyes close.

 

Eventually, the words simply spilled from her lips, “I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she admitted.

 

Peeta’s words were hardly a whisper, “Would you like me to stay with you?”

 

Katniss nodded. Her sleepy eyes locked with Peeta’s. He looked just as tired as she felt. For a brief second, she considered that maybe he didn’t want to be left alone either.

 

“Is that ok?” she asked.

 

“Yeah,” he said as he reached for her hand once more. “I’m here for you, Katniss. Please, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.”

 

XXXXX

 

Later, as they lay in bed, tucked under the blankets with her cheek on his chest and his arms around her, she reminded him, “You still owe me a happy story, you know?”

 

Peeta chuckled. “Right! Hmm, let me see… Oh! Remember Mrs. Harris, our third-grade teacher?”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

Katniss lifted her face toward Peeta’s. The new position gave her an unrestricted view of his clean-shaven jaw and full lips. Mesmerized, she watched them move as he talked.

 

“Well, she came into the bakery one day," he said, "She had noticed the cakes on the window, and she wanted to know who had decorated them. When she found out it was me, she asked if I could help out on a school project.”

 

“A school project?” she asked intrigued.

 

“Yep. Apparently, all the backdrops she used for the school’s plays and festivals had gotten wet during the winter and were completely ruined. She needed someone to help her paint new ones.”

 

Katniss gasped, her breath tickled Peeta’s neck.

 

He chuckled and pulled away slightly so he could look into her eyes. “Up until then, I had never used real paints before, you know? Growing up, I would borrow Delly’s crayons and colored chalks. My uncle Jared gave me a box of pencils once, but none of it could compare with using real oils and watercolors on a large canvas.”

 

A wave of hair threatened to get into Peeta's eyes as he spoke. With a smile, Katniss reached over and brushed it back.

 

“Mother wasn’t very happy with the whole thing,” he went on, “every hour I spent at school was an hour I wasn’t spending at home, working. But, for once, I didn’t care.”

 

Katniss listened, captivated by Peeta’s words. His blue eyes shone brightly, and there was a warmth in his voice she hadn’t heard in a long time. His hands, splayed on her back, began moving in gentle, soothing circles, as he mimicked the movements of a paintbrush on a palette.

 

“I took my time mixing colors and doing the best I could,” he said, “By the time I was done, the school had four new backdrops. One for every season.”

 

Suddenly, Katniss pushed herself so that she was resting on top of Peeta’s chest. Her face just a few inches from his. “You mean, those backdrops with the nature scenes, the red forest, the snow capped mountains… you painted those?” she asked.

 

“Yep.”

 

“Those are beautiful, Peeta! I always thought they had been sent from the Capitol.”

 

“You did?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised by her words.

 

“Yeah. I didn’t know you could paint,” she admitted. “And, well, they were so… perfect.”

 

Peeta smiled. It was sweet and pure, and it reminded her of a different time in what felt like someone else’s life.

 

Katniss smiled back. She could feel his heart pounding underneath her outstretched palm. She liked it, she found it soothing and comforting.

 

With a contented sigh, she settled back in her original position, lying on her side with her cheek on his chest.

 

 After a moment she said, “You’re very talented, you know?”

 

He sounded a million miles away when he answered, “Hum, that seems to be the consensus.”

 

“I mean it, though,” she insisted, squeezing his shoulder as she spoke.

 

“Thanks, Katniss.”

 

“You’re welcome,” she whispered.

 

There was a soft rustling of sheets, Katniss felt Peeta move as he reached forward and pressed a single kiss on the top of her head.

 

She yawned, finally ready to let sleep claim her. “Goodnight, Peeta,” she mumbled before drifting off.

 

That night, safely nestled in Peeta’s arms, Katniss dreamt of laughing children, school plays, and songs.

 

In her dream, Prim and her friends danced in front one of Peeta’s murals while Katniss watched. There were no Games, no hunger, no death,  no fire, no mutts. There was just music, and color, and joy.

 

Her life felt complete, her heart full. The whole world seemed to shine as Peeta held her hand and led her across the schoolyard.

 

 


	8. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon compliant, post- Mockingjay, fluff.
> 
> I wrote this for Everlark Birthday Drabbles on Tumblr to celebrate @kitkatlogan's birthday.
> 
> I got the idea for this drabble while listening to Kat Edmonson’s Lucky. It’s a sweet song that always makes me smile.
> 
> Hope you! enjoy!

It was almost the end of the day. The sun was setting on the horizon. Pale oranges and soft pink hues painted the sky.

 

Katniss and Peeta were sitting on the porch swing in front of their house in Victors’ Village. The soft golden light coming through the veranda touched Peeta’s cheeks making him glow.

 

Katniss sighed. She loved moments like these, peaceful and quiet when the whole world and its troubles seemed to float away like a rainy cloud.

 

She turned to face Peeta. His eyes were focused on something she couldn’t see. The soft smile on his lips told her that his mind was in a good place. A happy place.

 

She reached over and tucked a stray wave of hair behind his ear. He needed a haircut, but he always waited for her to say something about it before cutting the unruly locks she loved so much.

 

The handful of silver reflections she found on his temple made her smile. It was a simple reminder of the years they’d spent together which never failed to amaze her. Her _boy with the bread_ had turned into a man. A gentle, generous man who was just as good and kind-hearted as the boy had been.

 

Her heart raced, grateful that she hadn’t lost her chance to spend her days next to him. A sudden rush of warmth spread through her chest as she considered the love and appreciation she felt for this man who had been willing to give up everything he was just that she could live. She had once thought she'd never deserve him, but after sharing a life with him for the past 10 years, she knew it wasn't about deserving each other, it was about being there. For better, or worse. For always.

 

“Peeta?” she called, her voice a soft whisper caressing his skin, “do you want to be a dad?” she asked.

 

Peeta turned to her. His blue eyes narrowed as he searched her face. After a moment, he asked, “With you?”

 

Katniss rolled her eyes.

 

“No, with the florist!” she scoffed, “Of course with me!” she added, pressing her empty hands against her chest.

 

Peeta waited. Confusion, and something that looked a lot like a tiny glimmer of hope, sparkled in his eyes.

 

Frustrated, Katniss took a deep breath and tried again. Her words were slow and deliberate as she asked the question which had been dancing in her mind for the last few months, “Would you like to have a baby… with me?”

 

“Yes,” he nodded. The certainty in his tone made her lightheaded. “I’d love to have a baby with you, Katniss!”

 

Suddenly, Peeta’s eyes widened, “are you…”

 

“Oh! No. No!” she assured, chuckling nervously as she waved her hands. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. “I'm not. But… I’ve been thinking about it lately. What it’d be like, you know? Being a mom… you… being a dad.”

 

Peeta's eyes glittered under the afternoon sun, the shy smile which settled on his lips warmed her heart.

 

“You’ve been thinking about it?” he asked.

 

“Yeah,” she admitted.

 

His voice was barely a whisper, a soothing caress, light like a feather's touch, “Like… how?”

 

“Well… I’ve been thinking about… what it would be like, you know… if we...had a baby? Maybe a boy?”

 

“A boy?”

 

“Yeah,” she nodded, “a cute little boy with messy blond hair and a straight nose,” she said, reaching over and delicately tracing the bridge of his nose with her finger.

 

With a smile, he reached for the end of her braid and twisted the silky smooth hair between his fingers. “We might have a girl; you know?”

 

“We might,” she agreed, “maybe with your eyes,” she added in a shy voice.

 

Peeta chuckled and shook his head. “And your scowl,” he added, smiling as he ran the pad of his thumb over her lips.

 

Katniss rolled her eyes playfully and laughed. “Seriously, though," she said, her raspy whisper betraying her anxiety, "do you want to?”

 

Peeta locked his eyes on hers. His voice was steady and clear when he answered, “Yes. I do.”

 

Katniss swallowed, she could feel her heart throbbing in her throat as she said, “Let's do it, then. Together?”

 

“Together.”

 

 

 


	9. Whispers in the Dark.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon compliant, Everlark during the Victory Tour.
> 
> I wrote this for Everlark Birthday Drabbles on Tumblr to celebrate @erikan987's birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank Merciki, ForFutureReference, titania522, Ealamusings, AlwaysEverlark, @ldyglfr62 and @peetaspikelets for helping me choose the right line to close this little snippet. Hope you like the way it fits the story.

“Peeta, what’s your favorite food?” Katniss’s soft voice broke the stillness of the darkened room.

 

They were on the train, bound for District 3, watching the dark shadows which danced across the walls of Katniss's room as they lay in bed and waited for sleep to claim them.

 

She was curled beside him, her head rested on his chest, and her small fingers traced lazy circles over his heart.

 

Peeta released a faint chuckle at the question.

 

It had been their nightly ritual since the Victory Tour began. They had spent endless nights asking questions back and forth. Getting to know each other better as they tried to distract one another from the horrors which plagued them, and to prevent the nightmares from creeping into their minds.

 

After giving it some thought, he answered, “Um... remember the noodles covered in that thick creamy cheese sauce we ate the first day we came here?”

 

 “The ones with black pepper?”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

“Those were good,” she said.

 

Peeta felt Katniss’s lips turning up into a smile against his sleep shirt as she remembered the long strips of pasta she had efficiently twirled onto her fork, just the way Effie had taught them.

 

“They’re your favorite then?” she asked sleepily.

 

Peeta nodded. His hand reached the end of Katniss's braid, he began rubbing it between his fingers.

 

A peaceful silence stretched between them.

 

Peeta was about to drift off when Katniss spoke again, “Your turn.”

 

“Ok,” he said, his voice thick with sleep, “What was your favorite thing today?”

 

“That's easy,” she said as she twisted to face him.

 

Using her forearm for leverage, she lifted herself and landed on top of his chest.

 

Peeta took a deep breath, suddenly overwhelmed by her proximity.

 

Katniss’s new position had her lying practically on top of him. Her splayed hand rested on the middle of his chest, and she dropped her chin on top of it.

 

In spite of the darkness, Peeta could still make out her eyes, looking straight into his as she answered, “The color of the ocean.”

 

“Yeah?” he somehow managed to croak out.

 

She nodded, and the movement reverberated through Peeta's chest.

 

“I never thought water could be so blue,” she said. Dropping her voice to a barely audible whisper, she continued, “There’s a lake back home. The water there is dark, almost like a pool of smoky quartz. But the sea was so different. It looked bright and full of life, just like…”

 

Katniss stopped talking and dropped her gaze. Peeta felt her body tense between his arms.

 

“Hey,” he said, squeezing her shoulders lightly, “it’s ok if you don’t want to tell me.”

 

Katniss sighed and nodded. Slowly, her muscles relaxed, and she slipped from Peeta’s chest going back to her original position, lying on her side.

 

Like every night, Peeta wrapped his arms around her and drew soothing circles on her back and shoulder.

 

Peeta’s breathing evened out, but his mind was spinning. Katniss’s unsaid words intrigued him just as much as her confession about the lake had, but he wasn’t going to pressure her. If he had learned anything about Katniss Everdeen, it was that she was a very private person. He was grateful for the fact that she had started opening up to him. He wasn’t going to betray her trust by pushing her into a confession.

 

The soft hum of the train moving along the tracks had almost lulled him into sleep when Katniss spoke again.

 

“Peeta?” she called.

 

“Mm-hmm?”

 

Katniss’s breath tickled his neck when she whispered, "I can see the ocean in your eyes."

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Rude Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon Divergent. District 13. Peeta wakes up after being rescued from the Capitol.
> 
> Written for Prompts in Panem, dreamscape week, March/April 2015. Day 3: Explosions (or a fight borne of a misunderstanding)
> 
> I originally posted this as an individual one shot. It never got any kudos or comments so, immaturely, I pulled it down. But I was reading it the other day and I decided to edit it and give it another chance.

As soon as he saw the machine by his bedside he knew he wasn't in the Capitol anymore.

The piece of medical equipment was very similar to those he had seen in the hospital after his first Game, but it was definitely an older model. The scratches and dents covering its sides told him this one had been used over and over again.

Stiffly, he turned around and found _her_ sitting on his bed.

Every muscle in his body tensed as dread kicked in. _What's she doing here_ , he wondered, what new kind of hell has she got in store for me?

Her gaze fell on his face. His blood ran cold.

Their eyes locked. Her gray ones shone, sending his heart into a frantic race inside his chest.

She smiled, seemingly happy to see him. Even her voice sounded sincere when she said his name in what sounded like relief.

 _Damn her_ , he thought, _she’s such a good actress_.

He considered jumping off the bed and getting away from her. But the soreness in his muscles, and the tubes connecting his arm to the beeping machine that stood next to him, had him trapped.

Cornered, he froze in place and waited for her to make her move.

She motioned towards him. Her hands settled on his shoulders, and he stiffened under her touch.

Her eyes widened, reflecting her surprise.

“Are you here to finish me off, sweetheart?” he asked through venom-laced lips.

XXXXX

Katniss gasped. Peeta's words were like a bucketful of ice-cold water being dropped over her head.

Last time he’d said them he’d meant them as a joke. But there was nothing funny in the tone of his voice now.

Quickly, she scrambled out of the bed and went to stand by the room’s open door.

She looked out into the corridor and called for a nurse to come.

Nobody heard her.

The nurse’s station was empty. So, she just stood there, unsure of how to proceed. She didn’t want to leave him, but there was something unsettling about the way he was looking at her.

She turned around to face him once more.

He was sitting in bed, keeping very still and apprehensively watching her every move.

She studied his blue eyes from a distance. It didn't take long for her to place the anxiety reflected in his eyes. After all, it never failed to appear in the eyes of her prey during those few precious seconds it took for her arrows to travel from her tightened bow into its intended target.

Realization hit, tightening her chest, and pushing the air right out of her lungs.

Peeta Mellark was afraid of her.

“So,” he growled “what’s your big plan this time? Are you still trying to kill me with tenderness? Well, I have news for you, Sweetheart, that ship has sailed. I won’t be falling for that bull anymore.”

XXXXX

Katniss ran as fast as her legs would carry her along narrow corridors, and through grey passages. She didn't stop until she found the supplies closet which had protected her from the outside world so many times before.

Settling inside the confined, dark space, she hugged her legs, keeping them tightly pressed against her chest as she cried.

Sad, disbelieving, tears streamed down her cheeks as she wept in frustration and despair.

She didn’t understand what had just happened. The doctors had mentioned something about tracker jacker poison coursing through Peeta's veins. But there had to be more than that.

The coldness and hurt she had seen in his eyes chilled her to the bone.

Her chest constricted as the memories of those first months after their first Game came rushing back to her mind.

She could hardly breathe as she remembered all those times they’d crossed paths coming and going from Victor’s Village, and the way he had looked at her; with the same sadness, anger, and resentment he showed now.

She’d felt guilty then, and she felt guilty now; for leaving him behind in the arena, for failing to protect him, for taking such a long time to understand that the Capitol had been punishing him for her actions.

She’d spent the last couple of days holding his hand, impatiently waiting for him to open his eyes as her mind made up different scenarios of what would happen once he woke up.

She had expected smiles, laughter, tears, kisses, hugs, and caresses. But she hadn’t anticipated the hurt, heartbreak, anger, and betrayal she’d seen in those beautiful eyes.

Where was the sweet boy who had given her the bread? Her ally, her friend, her rock.

She hadn’t imagined that he would ever look at her this way again. With sorrowful eyes, filled with pain, distrust, and regret.

So, she cried. She cried until her eyes were swollen and raw.

Her soft sobs echoed in the confined space, advertising her sorrow to the world. But she couldn’t stop, not with the memory of Peeta’s reproachful eyes boring down on her still fresh in her mind.

The sound of a door being opened startled her.

She was about to protest, to ask the intruder to go find a hiding place of its own, when she felt Prim’s gentle hand rubbing her shoulder.

Prim sat down inside the closet, facing her sister and mirroring her posture, and closed the door shut.

The girls sat in silence for a few minutes while Katniss took deep breaths and tried to control her sobs.

Eventually, Prim reached out. Her small hand tenderly rubbed her sister’s legs.

After a while, Katniss’s ragged voice broke the silence. “Have you seen him, Little Duck?”

“Yeah, I was just with him.”

“How is he?” Katniss asked, sadness seeping into her words.

“He’s Ok. Katniss, I know this isn’t what you were expecting, but it's not that bad.”

A lump settled in Katniss’s throat, she was on the verge of tears once more. “Not that bad? He can hardly look at me, Prim!”

Soothingly, Prim explained, “I know it looks bad. But listen, Dr. Cole says that there’s hardly any tracker jacker poison left in his system. He thinks that Peeta is confused about certain things, but not more than anyone who’s been told lies would be.”

A small flicker of hope lit in Katniss's chest at her sister's words. “Lies? Is that what’s happened? They’ve told him lies?”

Prim nodded. “That's what the doctors believe.”

After giving her sister a moment to process the information, Prim spoke again. “I remember when you guys came home after your first Game. You could hardly look each other in the eye, but you talked it out, became friends. You can do that again. Just talk to him. Answer his questions, and show him that he can trust you. I'm sure you won’t regret it.”

Katniss considered her sister's words. She knew Prim was right. As horrible as those first months had been, she'd found a way to get closer to him.

 _No_ , a little voice inside of her chimed in, _it was Peeta who found a way_.

He had offered forgiveness and friendship when she had been too confused and scared to even think about that.

A sudden bolt of warm energy coursed through her body, replacing the past week’s lethargy. She had spent the last few days waiting for Peeta to wake up. Thinking that, once his blue eyes landed on her, all her worries would simply melt away. Clearly, that hadn't been the case. But that didn't mean that all was lost either.

Peeta was finally there, and he needed her just as much as she'd needed him.

She shook her head. As the blinding fog of her guilt lifted, she suddenly understood that it was her turn to make things right.

Determined, she faced her sister and vowed, “I’ll try, Little Duck, I won't give up.”

In the darkness of the confined space, Prim’s bright smile blinded her.

 

 

 


	11. The Ring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon divergent, set in the Capitol right after Peeta's proposal.

Katniss inspected the unassuming golden band on her finger. She was surprised at how light it felt. She had never imagined something so foreign could fit so perfectly.

The single diamond snuggly embedded on one side of the ring caught the light from the lamp on her bedside table and reflected it against the wall. The stone wasn't very big, but it was incredibly pure. It reminded Katniss of the north star which always shone brightly in the night sky.

Captivated by the shimmering gem, Katniss wondered how Peeta had managed to find something so tasteful in the Capitol. In her experience, engagement rings were gaudy monstrosities, the complete opposite of what she was currently wearing.

The day’s events rushed back into her mind. Her chest tightened as she thought about Peeta and the sacrifice he had made to keep them safe.

She could still see him, stepping onto the stage, looking polished and handsome in a charcoal gray suit which matched her outfit perfectly.

He had reached for her hand. Immediately entwining their fingers together as he lead her to the center of the stage. There, in front of the cameras, he’d told her he loved her, and after falling on one knee, he had asked her to marry him.

The audience had gone mad, dramatically cheering and sighing while Caesar Flickerman danced on stage, seemingly drunk with glee.

But, as the world celebrated the new development in their romance, Peeta’s eyes, always so warm and bright, had been vacant and dull.

Regretful tears had filled Katniss's eyes. She had let them spill, hoping President Snow and the crowds mistook her sudden outburst of remorse for joy.

And now, as she sat alone in her room, playing with the engagement ring Peeta had placed on her finger, she wished there was something she could do to make things right.

Over the last few weeks, Peeta had become her friend. Even as she’d held back, he had been open and honest with her. He had answered her reticence with kindness and patience, being incredibly understanding of her needs and agreeing to every plan she had made.

Now that they had become so close, she hated what she had asked of him. And she was beginning to resent him for accepting her terms.

Katniss had barely survived her first months as a victor, and she knew she wouldn't survive whatever President Snow had in store for her without Peeta's insight and support. She had to find a way to make their relationship work.

Defeated, Katniss groaned. She knew what she had to do and she couldn’t put it off any longer. It was her turn to open up. Peeta Mellark deserved to know the truth.

Determined to make things right, she made for Peeta’s room.

She had barely finished knocking on his door when Peeta’s voice reached her. “Coming!”

A moment later, the door swung open revealing a recently showered Peeta. Small droplets fell onto his shoulders, running happily down his bare chest and landing on the pair of pajama bottoms he wore.

Startled, Katniss gasped. The clean scent of Peeta’s shampoo tickled her nose making her heart race.

Peeta’s eyes widened in recognition, and his mouth snapped open. “Katniss! I... Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

Katniss swallowed thickly, the last time she’d seen Peeta’s bare chest he had been starving and injured. But the boy with the bread had evidently recovered since then. The sight of the defined muscles he usually hid under his sleep shirts and clothes muddled her thoughts.

“Come in,” he offered, leaving the door open as he turned to walk away from her. “I’ll be right back,” he called before disappearing behind his bathroom’s door.

The empty room brought Katniss back to her senses. Suspicion laced her words as she called out, “Who did you think I was?”

“Haymitch,” he answered through the closed door, “He comes by sometimes.”

Katniss nodded.

While she waited, she looked around the room. If she hadn't known any better she could have sworn it was her own. Even the bright blue bedspread was the same shade as hers.

She turned to the big screen which covered one of the walls. Peeta had chosen a video of a waterfall in the middle of a forest. Tall trees and mossy floors filled her eyes, reminding her of home. The soft sound of the water splashing against the rocks relaxed her.

A couple of minutes later, Peeta walked back into the room. His hair was still wet, but his waves had been brushed into submission. He was fully clothed, wearing the soft pajama top she already knew so well.

“So, what brings you by?” he asked.

Nervously, Katniss cleared her throat. “I was thinking… would you like to go for a walk?”

“A walk?”

Katniss raised her eyebrows gesturing towards the ceiling.

Peeta nodded his understanding. “Sure, let me grab my coat.”

XXXXX

The Capitol skyline twinkled under the darkened sky. It was like an endless sea of colored sparks, reaching into infinity.

Katniss and Peeta leaned against the railing which ran along the rooftop garden. Next to them, a collection of wind chimes danced. Their harmonic melody protected the couple’s conversation from unwanted listeners.

“So,” Peeta asked, “what's up?”

Katniss turned to face him. He looked tired and defeated. She hoped what she had to say would lift his spirits.

With a shaky breath, she began. “I’m sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted.”

Peeta let out an annoyed huff and raised his hand. “Stop. Katniss, you keep talking about our situation like this is all your doing. This isn't a mess you made. I was there too, remember?”

His hand reached for hers, and she welcomed his touch, warm and comforting as his thumb traced circles over her skin.

“I stupidly believed I could change things,” he whispered, “If I had known any better I wouldn't have given you a choice. I should've swallowed those damned berries and saved us all the trouble. But I was an idiot. A stupid, lovesick fool.”

“Peeta!” she scolded. Her eyes, stubborn and demanding locked with his, bringing him back into the present.

Peeta shook his head and blinked a couple of times. “I’m sorry. What did you want to talk about?”

Katniss lowered her eyes; she knew what she had to say and she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted by Peeta’s reaction to her words. “You’re right. We’re in this together. We always have been. I keep thinking that I’m protecting you by keeping you at a distance. But today I realized that’s not true.”

Gently, Peeta squeezed her hand, silently encouraging her to go on.  
“You once asked me if everything I’d done inside the arena was for just for show. Remember?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

Still unwilling to face him, she asked, “what was my answer back then?”

Peeta’s voice sounded distant and hollow as he echoed her words. “You said ‘not all of it’.”

Katniss nodded. She was terrified of what she was about to do, so she focused on the steady rise and fall of Peeta’s chest, hoping it would soothe her nerves just like it did every night when he held her in the dark.

Forcing the words out of her mouth, she said, “What I should have told you, was that I was confused, and that I didn’t really know how I felt. That I cared about you, that I had made a vow to protect myself by never falling in love, and that the thought of losing you terrified me.”

A couple of rebellious tears ran down her cheeks; she hated feeling so vulnerable and exposed, but she couldn’t back down now. “I should have told you how much you mattered to me. I should never have let you walk away believing I didn’t care, thinking you had only been the means to an end, because you weren’t, Peeta. You’ve always been more than that to me.”

Peeta’s shaky voice startled her. “I have?”

Using the back of her free hand to wipe away her tears she confirmed, “Mm-hmm. You’ve been my ally and my friend. You’re my rock, the one person who’s always there to catch me. You make me feel safe, and you make me laugh. You’re the person I want to share everything with, Peeta. The good, the bad, everything.”

Peeta hooked his index finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “What are you getting at, Katniss?”

“What I’m saying is,” Katniss raised her left hand and showed him the ring, “this, is staying right where it is. Because, even if the circumstances and the timing have sucked, I do want to be engaged to you. This may not be the romance you deserve, but I promise, ours won’t be a marriage of convenience. You will be cherished and…” her whole body trembled as she pushed herself to say the most terrifying word of all, “loved.”

Peeta let go of her and took a small step back. His wide, disbelieving, eyes reflected traces of ideas flashing through his mind as he struggled to understand her words. “Katniss, how can you… what are you saying? You…” his deep blue eyes found hers, his voice cracked as he asked, “do you love me?”

Fat, relieved tears ran freely down Katniss’s cheeks, the worst was over, she didn’t have to say anything else. Peeta understood.

She nodded. Her heart was beating so fast she was certain her chest was about to explode. “I think I’m starting to,” she whispered.

Peeta swallowed, his voice was thick with emotion when he asked, “But, what about Gale?”

Katniss narrowed her eyes, fixing her fiancé with a deadly glare. “Gale is my friend,” she answered, carefully enunciating every word, “we have been hunting partners for a long time, and his family is like my own. But we’re nothing more. Never have been.”

Peeta crossed his arms and, with a pointed look, reminded her, “You’ve kissed him.”

“No,” she corrected, emphatically shaking her head, “HE kissed ME. Only once, and only after I came back from the arena. We had never kissed before that, and we haven’t since. Actually, we’ve never even talked about it. It’s almost like it never happened.”

Suddenly, Peeta’s eyes widened. Two shocked pools of disbelief searched Katniss’s face. “Was… was I your first kiss?” he blurted.

A soft blush tinted Katniss’s cheeks. “Mm-hm.”

His shoulders slumped, and his hands flew to cover his face. “I’m such an idiot!” he groaned.

Katniss chuckled. “Well, you can’t be right about everything all the time!”

Peeta’s arms dropped to his sides. Looking contrite, he admitted, “I know, but, still, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“I’m just as guilty,” she admitted, “It was easier to let you believe than to tell you the actual truth. I won’t be doing that anymore. I promise.”

With a shy smile, Peeta moved towards Katniss. Tenderly, he grabbed her hands and pressed them to his chest.

A small contented sigh escaped Katniss's lips.

Nervously, Peeta cleared his throat, a soft blush creeped up his cheeks endearing him to Katniss even more.

His blue eyes, alive and hopeful, held hers. “So, Katniss Everdeen, would you like to be engaged to me… for real?”

Katniss beamed. “Yes, I would.”

 

 


	12. Cheese Buns and Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU. 
> 
> A little bit of Winter fluff.
> 
> Written for Loveinpanem’s 12 days of Christmas on Tumblr.

It was a cold winter night. A shower of minuscule snowflakes fell from the sky, turning the pavement white.

 

Katniss stepped out onto the street and looked up to the black, starlit sky.

 

A sneaky gust of chilly wind slipped inside her coat, wrapping itself around her throat, sliding down her chest, and making her shiver.

 

With an annoyed huff, Katniss wrapped her arms tightly around her slender body and began her trek home.

 

She hated this new workplace in the middle of an industrial sector. The building itself wasn’t too bad, with large windows overlooking a mountain and enough space for everyone to have a separate office. But the empty warehouses which lined the street leading up to it gave her the creeps.

 

The crisp air tickled her ears, and she picked up her pace, eager to escape the cold, dark road.

 

The distant sound of speeding cars and the warm lights from the shops on the busy avenue at the end of the street beckoned her, pushing her to move faster along the snow-covered ground.

 

She had almost reached the end of the road when she saw it. A cherry red Jeep, with the blinkers on, idling at the bus stop. Calling out to her like a firefly in the dark.

 

Shaking her head in disbelief, Katniss walked up to the car. She was about to reach for the door handle when the door was pushed open from the inside.

 

A blast of warm air greeted her, caressing her cheeks and making her smile. With a sigh, Katniss climbed into the passenger’s seat and pulled the door shut.

 

She turned to face the driver, his ocean blue eyes and bright smile made her forget the coldness of the world outside.

 

Her gray eyes were round with wonder as she asked, “What are you doing here?”

 

“Got off work early,” Peeta said with a shrug, “thought I’d give you a ride.” Twisting in his seat, he reached behind her and pulled a small paper bag from the back seat. “I also brought this,” he added, dropping the package on her lap.

 

Katniss’s eyes widened in recognition. “You didn’t!”

 

His laugh, deep and rich sent a rush of warmth through her chest.

 

Katniss buckled her seatbelt, and Peeta pulled into the avenue.

 

Carefully, she opened the bag. The mouthwatering smell of freshly baked bread and melted cheese filled her senses, reminding her of just how hungry she was. Feeling suddenly ravenous, she reached into the bag, pulled a golden cheese bun out, and greedily sunk her teeth into it.

 

The perfect combination of fresh herbs and cheese hit her tongue making her moan in appreciation. “So good!” she said between bites, “Thank you!”

 

After finishing her snack, she stuffed the empty paper bag into her purse.

 

Peeta stopped at a red light. Letting go of the steering wheel, he dropped his hand on the armrest between them. His smile mirrored hers. “You’re welcome.”

 

Katniss slipped her hand into Peeta’s, automatically interlacing their fingers and giving it a soft squeeze.

 

The light turned green and they began moving along the road again.

 

Katniss closed her eyes as the notes of _Santa Baby_ filled the small space. For the first time all day, she allowed her body to relax and, before long, she was humming along to the smoky tune.

 

Next to her, Peeta sighed. His thumb traced soft circles over the back of her hand.

 

Katniss smiled. There had been a time when winter and snow meant empty cupboards and hunger. Her Christmases had been full of worry and anxiety. She never imagined she’d ever enjoy them again.  But, life with Peeta was a lot gentler. Sharing her struggles and everyday responsibilities with him made her stronger. Everything seemed possible. By his side, she had even started making plans for the future.

 

Outside, the world was cold and dark, but inside that warm cabin, with Peeta’s hand firmly entwined with hers, Katniss felt nothing but warm and hopeful.

 


	13. The Only Exception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Canon compliant. Post Mockingjay, Pre- Epilogue.

This short drabble was inspired by [THIS ](https://hpfanonezillion.tumblr.com/post/156133829521/booksrockmyface-hpfanonezillion)drabble by HPfanonezillion and by the song [The Only Exception](https://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiF_-qvndbRAhVBIMAKHRLmBHsQyCkIHzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-J7J_IWUhls&usg=AFQjCNFGxHpFKeq_edkYsiv7AvZ_SiTrJQ) by Paramore.

Enjoy!

* * *

 

Katniss turned the radio on.

The soft melody of some unknown song floated through the air. It was a catchy tune that lightened her mood and made her smile.

Over the last few months, the Ministry of Communications had decided to fill the airwaves of Panem with music from all over the country. Bringing the sounds of all sorts of instruments and voices to people who lived even in the most distant places and making the nation feel connected in a way it hadn’t before.

Katniss set up a chopping board on top of the kitchen counter and started peeling the carrots and potatoes she was going to use in that night’s stew.

A new song began. It was a popular tune she’d heard many times before. Absentmindedly, Katniss began humming along with the melody.

Suddenly, the words she’d spent months repeating by rote caught her attention.

**_And my momma swore_ **

**_That she would never let herself forget_ **

**_And that was the day that I promised_ **

**_I'd never sing of love_ **

**_If it does not exist, but darlin'_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

Her movements stilled. Her every cell focused on the song, allowing the words to sink in.

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

She looked out the window and found Peeta, working in the garden across from her. He was walking in her direction, holding a basket full of apples in his arms.

**_Maybe I know, somewhere_ **

**_Deep in my soul_ **

**_That love never lasts_ **

**_And we've got to find other ways_ **

**_To make it alone_ **

**_But keep a straight face_ **

Her mouth went dry as her lips whispered the lyrics she knew but had never understood until now.

**_And I've always lived like this_ **

**_Keeping a comfortable, distance_ **

**_And up until now_ **

**_I had sworn to myself that I'm content_ **

**_With loneliness_ **

Peeta smiled at her. He had almost reached her back porch when he noticed her serious expression.

**_Because none of it was ever worth the risk_ **

**_But, you are, the only exception_ **

As the music enveloped him, his eyes, worried and as blue as the sky above, fixed on Katniss’s face and registered every movement she made.

Katniss sang, softly, never letting go of Peeta’s gaze.

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

Peeta stood still, letting the melody wash over him as he waited for the words to fall from Katniss’s lips like they were a lifeline.

**_I've got a tight grip on reality_ **

**_But I can't let go of what's in front of me here_ **

**_I know your leaving in the morning, when you wake up_ **

**_Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream, oh_ **

Half a dozen apples landed with a soft thud over the lush green grass.

The kitchen door squeaked, it’s rusty hinges protesting against the pressure of Peeta’s fingers.

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_You are, the only exception_ **

Peeta’s loud footsteps echoed loudly on the kitchen tiles. In two long strides, he was beside Katniss. Reaching for her face and cradling her cheeks between his hands.

He kissed her. Hard. Claiming her lips with a hunger and longing she didn’t think existed anymore in the world.

As the last notes of the song faded into the background, Katniss wrapped her arms around Peeta and held him close. Her lips reached his ear, and she whispered, softly following the tune:

**_You are, the only exception_ **

**_And I'm on my way to believing._ **

 


	14. Summer in Scotland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for the lovely akosiroxy who asked: I wish you would write a fic where everlark decides on couply stuff like vacation and stuff. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

“Your turn,” Katniss said, lifting her chin as if to issue a challenge.

Peeta cleared his throat and straightened his back. “Well… I was thinking…. Scotland.”

“Scotland?” she exclaimed. 

“Yeah,” he confirmed with a smile, “think about it. We could rent a car and go to the Trossachs, stay in small B&Bs and go for long nature walks along the lochs, eat fresh seafood–,”

Summer was about to start. Katniss and Peeta had spent all year working, and they desperately needed a break. 

After much research, Katniss had proudly suggested spending two weeks in a charming hotel lost on a small island in Greece. 

The sparkle in Peeta’s eyes as she described lazy summer days lying under the sun and visiting the occasional ruin made her think she’d come up with the better plan. But Peeta’s idea to escape the scorching Mediterranean heat to traipse around the highlands was beginning to sound heavenly.

Katniss closed her eyes. She could almost feel the cool northern breeze touching her cheeks as Peeta described Scottish breakfasts and peaceful nights sitting underneath a woolen blanket gazing up at the stars and sipping whiskey.

Images of rolling green hills peeking under the mist and pale blue skies streaked orange and pink reflected over the still, dark waters of the mysterious lakes filled her mind.

“But, what about you?” she asked coming back to reality. Peeta was perfectly capable of following her into the woods, he wouldn’t have any trouble keeping up with her during their hikes. But these were his holidays too and, as much as he enjoyed nature, she knew he needed other activities as well. “Don’t you want to do something more… cultural?”

Peeta’s smile widened. “We could also go to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Visit the cities, the museums… Maybe stop by the Glasgow School of Art. And, when we’re out walking, I’ll take my sketchbook and my camera with me. I’ll get lots of inspiration for next year.”

“You’ve really thought of everything, haven’t you?”

Peeta nodded. “So, what do you think? Leave Greece for… Easter, maybe?”

“Yes!” Katniss exclaimed, “It won’t be as hot then, and we’ll be able to visit more islands and walk around with fewer tourists.”

“Great!” Peeta beamed, proud of himself for coming up with the winning plan –not that coming up with the ideal holiday was a competition—, “I’ll get started with the reservations.”

Katniss watched as Peeta powered up his laptop and began looking for flights. She smiled. She was exhausted, but now she had something to look forward to; two full weeks of having Peeta all to herself. She could hardly wait.


	15. Trapped in a Broom Closet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written on Tumblr for the lovely Anon who asked: I wish you would write a fic where Everlark get trapped in a small space together...
> 
> Canon compliant-ish. Set in CF during the Victory Tour.

Peeta leaned against the closed door and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “It’s no use,” he sighed in defeat, “it’s locked.”

 

“It’s ok,” Katniss said looking around the small broom closet.

 

Two large shelving units, laden with cardboard boxes and cleaning products, took up most of the space, but the back wall was free of any clutter.

 

Guided by the soft glow of the emergency light bulb perched over the door, Katniss reached the back of the room. “I’m sure Effie is already looking for us,” she said, “She’ll find us soon enough.”

 

Pressing her back against the wall, Katniss slid down to the floor. With a contented sigh, she stretched her legs in front of her. “Come here,” she instructed, patting the floor next to her.

 

Silently, Peeta did as she asked, carefully maneuvering himself into the tight space between Katniss and the shelves.

 

Katniss closed her eyes and rested her temple on Peeta’s shoulder. She was tired. Tired of waking up at the crack of dawn to have her prep-team poke and prod at her, tired of repeating the same old speeches Effie wrote, tired of being paraded in front of angry mobs who challenged her with their questioning glares.

 

She hated that she didn’t have any answers for them, that she was letting them down. But she didn’t have a choice. She needed to protect her family, to smile for the cameras, to pretend that everything was alright.

 

Thanks to Cinna, she was the picture of health and wealth, a pretty face to be paraded through the districts. But she was dying inside. She couldn’t deal with another party, another dinner, another dance…

 

Peeta’s soothing touch on her arm reminded her that she wasn’t alone.

 

“Thanks for earlier,” Katniss whispered, remembering how Peeta had gracefully interrupted the mayor’s aide just as he was about to ask her for a spin around the dancefloor.

 

The thought of the man, who was old enough to be her father and who had spent the entire day throwing lecherous looks at her, made her shudder. “I don’t like people touching me,” she said.

 

Next to her, Peeta went as still as a rock.

 

An amused chortle poured from her lips. “I don’t mean you!” she said, turning to look at him.

 

His ocean blue eyes regarded her intently. “You don’t?”

 

“Of course, I don’t,” she soothed, reaching out to brush a blond wave away from his forehead. Her hand traveled down the side of his face and landed on his shoulder. “You make me feel safe,” she admitted.

 

Under her gentle touch, Peeta relaxed. “I do?” he asked, uncertainty lacing every syllable.

 

Katniss nodded. She had always been a private person. She usually didn’t enjoy sharing the personal details of her life with others, but Peeta’s willingness to overlook the problems of their past had had a strange effect on her. More and more, she found herself willing to confide in him, desperate to deepen her connection to the kind, brave boy who gave her the strength and hope she needed to carry on.

 

“Remember our first night in the cave?” she asked, tearing her eyes from him and focusing on the door in front of them.

 

“Not very well.” His hand resumed its comforting patterns on her skin. “My memories are a bit blurry and… shiny.”

 

Katniss nodded. Her chest tightened as she remembered how high Peeta’s fever had been when she found him by the stream.

 

“I remember holding you in my arms,” he confessed, his voice a soft whisper caressing her soul. “I remember thinking it felt right.”

 

His words sparked a tenderness within her. At the time, she had thought Peeta’s confession had been nothing more than a ploy to get sponsors. But she knew better now, and she couldn’t begin to imagine what he’d felt that night, holding the girl of his dreams in in his arms.

 

Fighting the urge to cry, Katniss said, “No one had held me in years. Not since my dad…”

 

“Katniss,” he breathed, “look at me.”

 

She did.

 

Her eyes found his. She’d never seen them so bright, so determined, so alive. The affection in them warmed her heart.

 

A soft smile turned her lips. “We were in a horrible place, Peeta; surrounded by careers, and cameras, and mutts. But it was ok because you were there. With me. Wherever I go, whatever I do, if you’re there, I’m safe.”

 

“I’ll always be there, Katniss,” he vowed, reaching out to cup her cheek. “Always.”

 

Closing her eyes, Katniss covered Peeta’s hand with her own. “Thank you,” she said before turning her face and pressing a kiss on Peeta’s palm.

 

The sound of a lock turning brought them out of their reverie. A moment later, the door swung open, filling the small room with bright light.

 

Effie’s shrill voice pierced the air. “There you are!”

 

Katniss rolled her eyes. With a resigned huff, she folded her legs and pushed herself up. After running her hands down her dress, she offered her hand to Peeta and pulled him to his feet.

 

Behind them, Effie started on one of her usual rants.  Her hot pink wig shook as she pointed a finger and scolded them “What do you think you’re doing? You’re the guests of honor, you’re supposed to be mingling with your hosts, not hiding in closets! Don’t they teach you any manners in Twelve? Seriously, children, I don’t understand why you keep doing this to me,” she finished with a loud whine.

 

Placing his hand on the small of Katniss’s back, Peeta said, “Sorry, Effie. We were looking for our coats, by the time we realized we were in the wrong closet it was too late. We’ll be more careful next time.”

 

“Is the party over?” Katniss asked trying to sound disappointed.

 

“Yes, I’m afraid it is,” Effie said with an exaggerated sigh. “Our driver is ready to take us back to the train.”

 

“Well, let’s get going then,” Peeta urged, “We don’t want to mess with your schedule.”

 

“Yeah,” Katniss piped in, “we don’t want to be late.”

 

With a satisfied smile, Effie instructed, “Follow me. And, don’t go into any other rooms, Haymitch already has your coats.” Turning on her heels, she led them out of the building.

 

Katniss and Peeta followed their escort walking side by side. They had just exited the building when she slipped her hand in his and gave it a little tug.

 

Surprised, Peeta stopped walking.

 

Standing on the tips of her toes, Katniss wrapped her arms around Peeta’s neck and pulled him close.

 

Her lips brushed the shell of his ear as she whispered, “This one’s just for you.”

 

Dropping her hands on his shoulders, she pressed a small peck on his cheek.

 

Peeta’s hands reached for her hips, he pushed away slightly. “What was that for?” he asked, eyes wide and bright under the moonlight.

 

She shrugged. “No one’s watching, it felt right.”

 

Slowly, Peeta nodded. His voice was low and husky when he asked, “It feels different sometimes, doesn’t it?”

 

It was Katniss's turn to nod as she fought the blush creeping up her cheeks.

 

Softly, Peeta pressed the pad of his thumb over her lips. “Not everything is an act,” he whispered, remembering the words she’d told him after their Game.

 

Her eyes found his. He was looking at her with a sense of wonder which thrilled and terrified her. It was the type of thing which usually sent her running for the hills, but she was tired of running, she just wanted to be with him.

 

She tightened her hold on his shoulders. “When we’re alone, Peeta, nothing is an act,” she said, before letting go of him and turning to walk away.

 

Peeta stood, wide-eyed and flustered under District Five’s pale moon, watching as Katniss walked towards the idling car.

 

He still didn’t understand her, still didn’t know her well enough. But he was beginning to get a sense of who Katniss Everdeen really was, and every piece of the puzzle he discovered captivated him a little bit more.

 

But, even if he wanted her, he knew Katniss was independent and strong. She didn't really need him. So, as hard as it was, he had convinced himself that he could be happy merely being her friend.

 

Lately, though, things had begun to change. Peeta couldn't really explain what it was. But there was something in her eyes, in her smile, in the way she said his name when she woke up in the middle of the night.

 

Peeta smiled. He didn't want to jump to any conclusions, but he was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, Katniss Everdeen was a little captivated by him too.

 


	16. Goose Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is for Merciki who gave me the following prompt: How about "It's not a chicken feather. It's a goose's ! BIG difference!"

 

“Katniss?” Peeta called out.

 

A smiling Katniss poked her head into the kitchen. “Yeah?”

 

“What did you do with the bread?”

 

Katniss stepped into the room, her head tilted to the side as she tried to make sense of Peeta’s words. “Which bread?”

 

“The one I brought over from the bakery,” he explained. Signaling to the empty countertop, he added, “I left it here. Did you take it?”

 

Katniss shook her head. “Nuh-uh.” A flash of something gray caught her eye. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to the screen door. There was something wedged between the fame and the doorjamb

 

Peeta turned. Carefully, he reached out and pulled the intruding object free. “Looks like a chicken feather,” he said, twisting it between his fingers and turning to face her.

 

Katniss’s eyes narrowed. **"It's not a chicken feather,”** she said, anger seeping into her voice. **“It's a goose’s! BIG difference!"**

 

Peeta’s eyes darkened. “Haymitch!” he cursed, crushing the feather angrily in his fist as he turned for the door.

 


	17. Sisterly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is for Jroseley who sent me the following prompt: Prim and Katniss are fighting, Peeta has found himself in the middle. If you can.
> 
> Modern AU.

“So, what do you think?” Prim asked twirling in place to show Katniss the dress she’d bought for the winter dance.

 

“It’s pretty!” Katniss said, “But, don’t you think it’s a bit too short?”

 

Prim stopped mid-twirl and fixed her sister with a glare. “It’s the exact same length as Penny’s and Marla’s. We all got them in the same store.” Running her hands down the dress, she added, “It’s what everyone is using these days.”

 

Katniss crossed her arms over her chest and returned her sister’s glare.  “Just because everyone is doing it, it doesn’t mean you have to.”

 

“Ugh!” Prim groaned, throwing her arms up in the air. “I know that! But, just because you’re a prude who dresses like a nun, it doesn’t mean that I have to be one too.”

 

“I’m not a prude!” Katniss bristled. “And I don’t dress like a nun, I show plenty of skin. Right Peeta?” she said turning to her boyfriend who was sitting in an armchair a few steps away.

 

Peeta froze. He had been sitting there the whole time, listening to their conversation while he sketched, innocently thinking that if he kept quiet, they’d leave him out of it.  Huge mistake, he thought.

 

He looked up from his sketchpad, blue eyes panicked as they jumped between the two sisters. Swallowing thickly, he said, “You show enough.”

 

Prim rolled her eyes. “Of course, she does." Looking at Peeta, she continued, "But don’t sit there and tell me you don’t like it when she wears things that are a little more… revealing.”

 

Peeta’s ears turned pink. He looked at Katniss. He could tell she was fuming. This new version of Prim, determined and rebellious, drove her mad.

 

It wasn’t that she didn’t want her baby sister to grow up, but Prim’s defiant attitude was making Katniss’s job of protecting her a lot harder.

Peeta took a deep breath, he needed to choose his words carefully, he didn’t want to antagonize his girlfriend. In his eyes, Katniss was perfect just the way she was, but Prim wasn’t entirely wrong either.

Locking his eyes with Katniss’s, he admitted, “I love it when you show some skin.”

 

Peeta's soft, husky tone made Katniss blush. Flustered, she turned away.

 

“Exactly!” Prim squealed, convinced that she had won the argument.

 

Peeta turned to look at Prim. He had only been dating Katniss for a few months, but he had been a friend of the family for as long as he could remember. In many ways, Prim was like his own baby sister. He wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily.

 

Using his most soothing tone, he said, “Listen, Prim, you’re still 14. You’ll have plenty of time to show all the skin you want when you’re older. In the meantime, why don’t you just wear some tights or leggings under that dress? It’ll keep you warm, and it’ll stop Katniss from scowling so much.”

 

Prim’s eyes narrowed to angry slits. It looked like she was about to say something more, but, in the end, she thought better of it.

 

“Fine,” she grumbled, dramatically slumping her shoulders in defeat. “I’ll wear my tights.”

 

With one last sigh, Prim turned to leave, despondently dragging her feet along the hallway.

 

As soon as her sister left the room, Katniss sighed. “Such dramatics.”

 

She turned to Peeta. He had gone back to his sketch, a slightly smug smile hung from his lips.

 

“My hero,” she teased.

 

Peeta looked up from his sketch and saw Katniss beckoning him to the bed.

 

Dropping his sketch pad and pencils on the floor, Peeta followed her call. He was lowering himself onto the mattress when Katniss grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a soft kiss.

 

“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips. Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “How did you come up with that idea?”

 

Peeta pulled back. “I work at the mall, Katniss. Fashion crazed teenagers come into the bakery all the time. Prim’s right, they’re all wearing those dresses, but they’re all wearing them with tights.”

 

Katniss furrowed her brow. “Why would she want to wear it without?”

 

Peeta shrugged. “Maybe she wants to make an impression,” he suggested.

 

“An impression? She’s only 14!” she grumbled.

 

Peeta smiled. He reached for the end of her braid and gave it a playful tug. “How old were you when you first noticed me?”

 

“Thirteen,” she quietly admitted, “But I didn’t go around wearing make-up or showing you my legs!”

 

Peeta chuckled. He had been interested in Katniss since he was five. He had always thought she was breathtaking, but he didn’t love her for her good looks but because of her kind heart. The truth was that he found her attractive no matter what she wore.

 

Wrapping her braid around his finger, Peeta said, “Listen, I wouldn’t worry too much. Prim is a smart girl, just like her sister. She’s not going to do anything foolish.”

 

“She is smart,” Katniss conceded.

 

With a satisfied hum, Peeta dropped onto his back and folded his arms under his head. He closed his eyes.

 

The relaxing sound of hot water flowing through the pipes and into the radiators lulled him. He was about to drift off when one more thought popped into his head. “Besides, Rory is a good kid. He’ll keep her safe.”

 

“Rory Hawthorne?” Katniss exclaimed startling him out of his stupor. “What’s he got to do with anything?”

 

Peeta rubbed his eyes. “Have I mentioned I work at the mall? I see things.”

 

“What kinds of things?”

 

He shrugged. “Nothing major, just kids, walking around, talking to each other, giggling, flirting. That type of thing.”

 

“And you’ve seen Rory.”

 

He nodded.

 

“And Prim?”

 

Peeta let out a sigh. Slowly, he pushed himself up until he was sitting with his back against the headboard. “Yes. I’ve seen Rory and Prim. Together. Holding hands, laughing.” He reached out for Katniss’s hand. “You should see the way he looks at her, Katniss. Like she’s her whole world. He’ll never hurt her.”

 

A knot settled in Katniss’s throat. Her voice was barely a whisper when she asked, “Why do you think she hasn’t told me about it?”

 

Using his free hand, Peeta reached for her chin and made her face him. “Be honest, Katniss. How do you think you’d react if she told you she has a massive crush on a boy?”

 

“I’d tell her--,”

 

“Be honest,” he reminded her looking intently into her eyes.

 

Katniss looked away. “I’d probably tell her she’s too young,” she admitted with a pout, “and that she needs to focus on school.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Katniss sighed. Her loud exhale echoed in the quiet room.

 

“You’re not wrong,” he soothed, tracing circles over her hand. “She is young. School is important. But she’s growing up, and you’re going to have to learn to trust her the way your mother trusts you. Otherwise, the next few years are going to be a nightmare.”

 

Gray eyes, glistening with unshed tears, found his. “What should I do?”

 

“Why don’t you talk to her?” he suggested. “You already know what’s going on, so you won’t be surprised.”

 

“You're right,” she said leaning forward to leave a soft kiss on his lips. “Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

Brushing his hair away from his forehead, she asked, “Will you stay, wait for me until I come back?”

 

Peeta nodded. “I’ll be here. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

 

With one last kiss, Katniss climbed off the bed and walked out of the room.

 

Peeta moved back to the armchair and resumed his sketching, losing himself in his work until the happy sound of two giggling girls sharing secrets down the hallway reached his ears.

 

He chuckled to himself. There would be other arguments and many more battles to come but, for now, happiness and peace had been restored in the Everdeen household.

 

Everything was ok with the world.


	18. The Bloody Blade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for the lovely Anon who sent me the following sentence: No sooner than the blade has pierced his heart do I realize what I’ve truly become... 
> 
> I was supposed to follow it with 5 of my own, but I got a bit carried away. Hope you enjoy.

**No sooner than the blade has pierced his heart do I realize what I’ve truly become...**

I should feel shame, guilt, remorse. But all I feel is emptiness. I’m nothing. Nothing but a hollow, useless shell.

 

Katniss’s hand wraps around my wrist and squeezes, hard, forcing my hand open.

 

The bloody letter opener lands on the hardwood floor with a loud thump.

 

“It’s ok,” she whispers urgently into my ear. “It’s over now. We should leave.”

 

“He’s dead,” I mumble —more to myself than her. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that President Snow’s lifeless body lies by my feet.

 

His pale, vacant eyes stare at the ceiling, frozen, surprised.

 

The red blood stain on his chest grows by the second.

 

“Peeta, we have to go,” Katniss repeats.

 

“I’m sorry,” I say burying my face in my hands. I can’t face her, my district partner, my fiancé, my friend.

 

She was counting on me to find a way out of this mess. She trusted me with her life —with her sister’s life— and I let her down. I took an intolerable situation and, somehow, made it worse, much worse.

 

I try to focus on the moment, to come back to the present, to President Snow’s private study and the dead body by my feet; but my mind is reeling, trying to pinpoint the precise moment when everything went wrong.

 

There’s an insistent tug on my shirtsleeve.

 

I turn, expecting to find Katniss’s stormy eyes; my mouth goes dry with dread when I see bright green ones instead.

 

The avox is a bit shorter than me, her silky auburn hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders. A constellation of freckles paints her nose and cheeks.

 

I vaguely remember her welcoming us into President Snow’s private study.

 

A shiver runs down my back as I realize she must have been here the whole time.

 

Did she hear the insults, the taunts, the threats?

 

Did she see the president’s snake-like eyes when he told us we had failed; when he accused us of wanting to start a war, of wanting to destroy our country?

 

Did she follow my hand as I reached over the desk to snatch the letter opener?

 

Did she root for me as I drove it into President Snow’s heart?

 

Katniss’s soft plea brings me back. “Peeta, please.”

 

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and look at the avox once more. Her hands dance in the air between us, gesturing words I don’t understand.

 

She must read the confusion on my face, because she turns to Katniss, gentle eyes insistent and hopeful.

 

“Behind the bookcase,” Katniss tentatively translates.

 

The avox nods, she points to the back of the room and gestures some more.

 

I follow the movement of her hands, she moves them together, like two fish swimming up and down a stream.

 

“There’s a passage?” I ask.

 

She looks back at me. Her shy smile encourages me to keep on going.

 

I watch closely as she repeatedly points at herself and then back at us.

 

“You’ll guide us,” I venture.

 

She shakes her head and crosses her arms over her chest. She’s getting frustrated, we don’t have time to play games.

 

“Someone else will?” Katniss asks. “Someone like you?”

 

The avox beams, with quick, determined motions she pulls at our clothes to get us moving.

 

I’m rooted to my place, still too stunned to move, but Katniss reaches for my hand.

 

“Come on, Peeta, follow me,” she instructs.

 

I do as she asks.

 

With the avox’s help, we move the bookcase and slip behind it. As soon as Katniss and I are in, she pushes the wall back in place.

 

We’re engulfed in blackness.

 

The secret passage is long and narrow, eerily dark. But Katniss doesn’t even flinch, she just dives right in, feeling her way along the corridor with the same determination that always drives her into action.

 

She doesn’t let go of me.

 

I chase after her, focusing on the warmth of her small hand safely nestled in my own.

 

My loud steps echo all around us, matching the frantic beat of my heart as we rush to reach the faint light blinking at the end of our path.

 

Gradually, the fog of confusion begins to lift. My eyes adjust to the darkness just as a new feeling settles in my chest. It’s warm and sweet and welcome. It makes me feel powerful, proud, unstoppable.

 

I’m no longer a pawn.

 

I’m an eagle, a magnificent bird that’s finally spread its wings, and, for an instant, I’m completely, blissfully, unapologetically, free.


	19. Engagement Rings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s for lynamloveseverlark who sent me the following prompt: Peeta goes to Prim for advice on Katniss's engagement ring and how to propose
> 
>  
> 
> Modern AU. Hope you enjoy.

“This one’s gorgeous, Peeta!” Prim exclaimed waving the glossy picture of a classic engagement ring in her hand.

 

Her eyes twinkled in delight, following the contours of the princess' cut diamond which seemed to float over a thin gold band. “It’s exactly what I’d want to get if someone was proposing,” she sighed.

 

“Okaaay,” Peeta drawled, not entirely sure of what he was supposed to do with that information. He pulled the second photograph out of a folder. “This is option B.”

 

“Nope,” Prim said as soon as her eyes landed on the string of small diamonds embedded in a platinum band. “It’s too shiny,” she explained.

 

“Fair enough.” Peeta pulled out one more print. “How about this one, then?”

 

Prim inspected the third picture. Cocking her head to the side, she said, “I like this one. The diamond fits perfectly into the band, which means it’s not going to get stuck to her clothes. She could even wear it to target practice.”

 

“More practical than the other two,” Peeta mused. “That’s good, right?”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

“What about the color? They have different options,” he explained, pointing to the bottom of the page.

 

Prim wriggled her nose. “I think you should go with the white gold.”

 

Peeta nodded. “Alright, I have one more.” He handed the folder to Prim.

 

A wide grin curved her lips as soon as the print with the last ring came into view. “This is the one!” She held the picture up for closer inspection. “It’s perfect, Peeta! Why would you even consider the other ones?”

 

Peeta shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just…it’s not a diamond.”

 

Prim considered his words for a minute, her eyes never leaving the single gray pearl set in the platinum band. It wasn’t a conventional engagement ring, but it was practical, beautiful, and unique; just like her sister.

 

Reaching for Peeta’s shoulder, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “Katniss doesn’t care about that, Peeta. You know that, right?”

 

“I know, Prim.” His shoulders slumped and he looked down at his lap. “I just want it to be perfect,” he quietly confessed.

 

“You could be giving her a rusty nail twisted into a crooked loop, and she’d still love it.”

 

Peeta chuckled. He turned to Prim, her gentle blue eyes settled his nerves.

 

“Thanks, Primmy.”

 

The old nickname he rarely used anymore made her smile. “Anytime, Peetey.”

 

Prim gathered the four pictures in a neat stack and placed them in the open folder. “So, how are you going to do it?”

 

“Doooo…” Peeta dragged out the sound waiting for Prim to elaborate.

 

She rolled her eyes. “How are you going to give it to her?”

 

“Oh!” The hangnail on his thumb suddenly became the most exciting thing on the planet. He began pulling at it with his free hand.

 

Prim watched him for a minute. Convinced that he was avoiding her question, she playfully slapped his thigh. “Peeta! How are you going to propose?”

 

“Well, I haven’t decided yet,” he admitted, sounding peeved. “I could go the traditional route, take Katniss out to dinner in a fancy restaurant and ask the waiter to slip the ring into her dessert.”

 

“Yeah, and spend the rest of the night in the emergency room waiting for Katniss to get her stomach pumped,” Prim immediately added.

 

Peeta winced. “You really think she won’t notice a foreign object in her food?”

 

Narrowing her eyes, Prim gave him a pointed look.

 

“Fine!” Peeta relented with a frustrated huff. “That idea is out.” He closed his eyes for a moment, buying himself some time to collect his thoughts.

 

When he opened them again, he found Prim smiling warmly at him.

 

“What’s plan B?” she asked.

 

Swallowing past his nerves, Peeta answered. “There’s this spot in the natural reserve that she really likes.”

 

Prim’s eyes turned glassy. “The lake by the cabin,” she whispered.

 

 

Peeta nodded, fighting back his own tears.

 

He knew how important the lake was to the Everdeens. It was where Dashiell had taught his girls how to swim, where they’d spent many happy days as a family before he passed away.

 

He’d always dreamed of proposing to Katniss there, but he feared it would be an invasion of the family’s sanctuary.

 

Prim’s reaction so far wasn't exactly helping.

 

“I could pack a picnic basket,” he began to explain, almost apologetically. “Wait for the sun to set and ask her there.”

 

Prim’s head bobbed up and down repeatedly as she wiped away a few runaway tears. “That’s it,” she sniffled. “That’s exactly how you have to do it!”

 

* * *

 

Prim’s phone beeped with an incoming message alert.

 

Lazily, she reached over her nightstand,  grabbed her phone and swiped it open.

 

A picture of Katniss’s hand filled her screen. The simple band with the iridescent pearl was the perfect fit for her slender fingers.

 

The small caption under the picture read, “She said yes!”

 

Prim chuckled to herself. The only person who had been anxious about Katniss’s answer was Peeta.

 

She couldn’t blame him, though. It had taken her sister a long time to sort out her feeling for him. But there had never been any doubts in Prim’s mind. Those two belonged together.

 

She was still smiling when she typed her answer. “Told ya! Welcome to the family!”


	20. The Roommate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this for ForFutureReference who sent me this first line: “Oh… son of a—,”
> 
> I was watching Stranger Things when I got the prompt so, that’s where the last line came from. 
> 
> Modern AU. Hope you enjoy

 

"Oh... son of a--,” Peeta cursed under his breath.

Annoyed, he shook the small bottle of food coloring over a mixing bowl full of icing. Two sad drops fell from the bottle, splattering the white frosting like tinted teardrops in the snow. “Not enough,” Peeta fumed.

Turning towards the back of the house, he yelled, “Rye! Did you take the green dye?”

A moment later, Rye dragged his feet into the room. His lazy steps resounded loudly on the tiled floor. “It was my costume,” he explained around a yawn.

“Your costume?”

“Yeah.” Rye lifted his arms over his head and stretched until his back cracked. With a satisfied grin, he dropped his arms back down. “I was the Hulk, remember?”

Peeta narrowed his eyes. An image of his brother’s naked torso painted green flashed back into his mind. “You used food coloring for that? Why didn’t you just use make-up?”

Assuming his sage-older-brother stance, Rye crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the countertop. “First. I ran out of time. By the time I decided on a costume all the shops were closed.” He reached over the countertop and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. “Second. The dye was here.”

After buffing the apple agains his t-shirt, Rye bit into it, it was juicy and tart. He closed his eyes and let out a small appreciative moan.

“Third,” Rye continued, focusing his attention back on his brother. “I think the ladies prefer food dye over make-up.”

“The ladies?” Peeta echoed trying not to gag. Hearing about his brother’s escapades made his stomach churn.

“Yeah, no one wants to end up with green lips. But everyone likes licking something sweet.”

“Ugh, stop! I’m not interested in your seduction techniques,” Peeta snapped. “Besides, Halloween was last week. I told you I was helping out with Prim’s bake sale. You could have replaced it by now.”

“Sorry,” Rye said with a shrug. “I guess it slipped my mind.”Opening the fridge, he pulled out a half empty milk bottle and waved it in the air. “I bought the milk you wanted, though,” he replied, before removing the cap and emptying the bottle in one long gulp.

Frustrated, Peeta let out an aggravated huff.

Rye wasn’t a bad guy, but he was an irresponsible slob. They’d only been sharing a house for the last few months, but Peeta’s patience was wearing thin.

Luckily, their living arrangement was a temporary one. As soon as Katniss came back from her semester abroad, she’d be moving in with him and Rye would be out the door.

In he meantime, though…

Peeta glared at his brother. “You’re really no help at all. You know that?”


	21. The Kindness of Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a true story.

“How was your day?” Prim asked dropping next to Katniss on the living room couch.

 

Katniss shrugged. “OK, I guess.”

 

Prim turned to look at her sister. Katniss wasn’t known for being chirpy, but it wasn’t like her to be this listless either.

 

 _Maybe she had a bad day at work._ “You OK?” Prim asked, her eyebrows pinched with worry.

 

Katniss let out a tired sigh. “I was on the subway today --riding on the same line I always use-- when I began to feel dizzy. By the time I reached my stop, I didn’t know which way was up or down.”

 

Switching into nurse mode, Prim reached for her sister’s wrist and checked her pulse. It seemed fine. “Did you have breakfast this morning?”

 

“Yes, nurse Everdeen,” Katniss deadpanned. “I also took plenty of fluids.”

 

Prim shot her an annoyed glare. “Katniss, this could be serious!”

 

“I’m pretty sure it was nothing, probably just the heat. They haven’t turned the AC on yet, and it’s a bit stuffy in the trains —especially during rush hour.”

 

Prim nodded. It was the same story every year. It wasn’t unusual for people to have dizzy spells during their commute. “So, what happened? Did it just go away?”

 

“Uh, yeah. Sort of.”

 

“Sort of?”

 

With a resigned huff, Katniss pulled her legs up and tucked them under a cushion. She hadn’t planned on sharing this particular adventure with Prim, but it was too late to back out now.

 

“Somehow, I stumbled out of the train and took a few steps along the platform. My head was spinning, everything around me was a blur, and I was drenched in a cold sweat. I was trying to walk in a straight line, but I couldn’t --I think I even bumped into a couple of people.” Katniss brought her hand up to her forehead and rubbed the spot where most of her headaches began. “Then, out of nowhere, a steady hand grabbed me by the elbow.”

 

“Who was it?”

 

“Just another passenger, a blond girl --I think she’s about my age. She asked if I was OK. When I told her what was happening, she led me to a bench so I could sit down.”

 

“And then?”

 

“She asked if I needed anything. I told her a Coke would be a good idea, and she went over to a vending machine to buy me one.”

 

“Were you feeling better by then?”

 

“Yeah, as soon as I sat down, my head stopped spinning. By the time the girl came back, I was doing a lot better.”

 

Prim snuggled closer to her sister, throwing one arm over her shoulders to keep her close. “You were lucky she was there!”

 

“Yeah.” Katniss smiled weakly. “The story doesn’t end there, though.”

 

“It doesn’t?”

 

Katniss shook her head. “The vending machine was out of service. So, the girl offered to take me to the main hall —she said her cousins run the café there.”

 

Closing her eyes, Katniss told her sister how her saviour, who had eventually introduced herself as Madge, had walked next to her the rest of the way.

 

Madge had been sweet and pleasant. She hadn’t said much as she guided Katniss to the escalators, but she had kept a watchful eye over every step they took.

 

By the time they reached the café, Katniss was feeling a lot better, but she couldn’t refuse Madge’s offer to sit down again.

 

After guiding her to an empty chair, Madge had gone over to the counter and called out. “Hey, Peeta!”

 

The door to the back room swung open, and a man appeared. He was about Katniss’s age. He had wide shoulders and perfectly toned arms, but he wasn’t too tall. His wavy hair was the same ashy blond as Madge’s.

 

 _Probably one of the cousins_ , Katniss thought.

 

His voice was cheerful and warm. “Hi, Madgie, what’s up?”

 

Leaning over the counter, Madge had quickly explained Katniss’s predicament. “Could you get her something cold and sweet?”

 

The man turned in Katniss’s direction. With a friendly smile on his lips, he said, “Sure thing!”

 

While he busied himself with Katniss’s drink, Madge apologized, “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

 

Katniss waved away Madge’s words. “You’ve done more than enough, Madge. Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

 

The man walked over to Katniss’s table and placed a tall glass of freshly-pressed orange juice in front of her. “Here, don’t drink it all in one gulp.”

 

She was still rattled by the recent events but, in spite of her situation, his warning made Katniss smile.

 

Carefully, she brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. The juice was sweet, but not too much. It was exactly what she needed. She could feel her energy coming back to her almost instantly.

 

Madge reached for her cousin’s arm. “I’m putting her in your hands, you hear? Make sure she doesn’t leave until she’s fully recovered.”

The man nodded. His ocean-blue eyes twinkled happily under the coffee shop’s electric lights. “I’ll take care of your friend, Madgie. Don’t worry.” 

Satisfied with her cousin’s words, Madge took one last look in Katniss’s direction, said goodbye, and left.

 

“Do you need anything else? Something to eat, maybe?” the man asked.

 

Katniss shook her head. “No, thanks. This is perfect.”

 

“Alright, I need to pop into the back room real quick. Just holler if you need anything.” He was already turning to walk away when he stopped and, pointing to himself, added, “Name’s Peeta, by the way.”

 

“Thanks, Peeta.” Mimicking his gesture, she said, “I’m Katniss.”

 

A ghost of a smile appeared on Peeta’s lips. It was shy and sweet, and Katniss found herself mirroring it.

 

“Nice to meet you, Katniss. I’ll be right back.”

 

As soon as Peeta was out of view, Katniss took a look at her watch. She was relieved to discover that the whole ordeal had taken little longer than five minutes. If she hurried, she could still make it to work on time.

 

 _OK, small sips, but don’t stop_ , she told herself as she began drinking once more.

 

She had almost emptied her glass when Peeta came back out carrying a small paper bag in his hand. Instead of staying behind the counter, he walked right up to her table. “Feeling better?”

 

Katniss nodded. “Much better, thanks.”

 

Peeta placed the paper bag in front of her. “Here, this is for you.”

 

Katniss inspected the bag for a moment. The delicious aroma of freshly baked bread and melted cheese invaded her senses. She wasn’t hungry, not really, but she couldn’t stop from licking her lips in anticipation. “What’s in it?”

 

“Cheese buns. They just came out of the oven. I know you said you weren’t hungry, but maybe you could have some later.”

 

“Thank you, Peeta!” Katniss pulled her backpack onto her lap and opened it. “How much do I owe you?”

 

Peeta waved his hand. “Nothing. It’s on the house.”

 

“What? No, I can’t accept this! You and Madge, you… you’ve already been too kind.” She pulled out her wallet. “Please, let me pay you.”

 

“I’ll tell you what,” Peeta placed his hand on top of Katniss’s and pushed it back down into her bag, the movement firm, but gentle. “Take the cheese buns now and try them. If you like them, you can come back tomorrow --when you’re feeling better-- and buy half a dozen.”

 

Katniss considered his proposal for a moment. The café was right on her way to work, so it wouldn’t be a problem for her to stop there on any given day. In fact, she had already considered doing so more than once.

 

_If you think about it, becoming a regular customer is way better than paying for just one drink and a couple of rolls. Besides, if this mouth-watering aroma is any indication, I’m sure I’m going to want to eat everything this guy makes._

 

“Fine,” she relented. Letting go of her wallet, she reached for the paper bag and placed it inside her backpack. “I should get going, though.”

 

“Are you sure you’re OK to walk?” The hint of concern in Peeta’s voice was as comforting as a hug.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Besides, I don’t have to walk much. I’m just going across the street.”

 

Peeta pressed his lips together. Katniss could tell he wanted to say something else, --maybe even offer to walk her the rest of the way-- but he obviously didn’t want to cross any lines.

 

A part of her wouldn’t have minded the company, but she was grateful for his self-restraint.

 

After emptying the last of her juice, Katniss stood up. With slow, deliberate movements, she hoisted her backpack over her shoulder. “Thanks for everything, Peeta.” Giving him the best smile she could manage, she added, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

Peeta smiled back. It was warm, hopeful. “See you tomorrow, Katniss!”

 

* * *

 

 

Prim looked at the empty plate on the coffee table. Katniss had practically wiped it clean, there were hardly any crumbs left on it. “So, these cheese buns... Were they any good?"

 

Katniss’s eyes snapped back open. “SO good!” She patted her sister’s knee. “I’ll get you some tomorrow. I also noticed they have those goat cheese and apple tartlets you like so much, I’ll get a couple of those too.”

 

“Sounds good!” Prim said, intrigued by the soft blush on her sister’s cheeks and the happy twinkle in her eyes.

 

 _What happened to the sullen girl who greeted me?_ Prim thought. A small voice in the back of her mind suddenly pipped in, _maybe she wasn’t sulking, after all. Maybe she was just thinking about a blond, kind baker._ Satisfied that she was right, Prim smiled. _Now, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?_

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are as beautiful as Peeta’s frosted cookies. You always make my day when you share them with me. Thanks!
> 
> You can also find me on tumblr. I'm javistg over there, come and say hi!
> 
> Like my beautiful banner? AlwaysEverlark did it for me. Thanks, P! I love it :)
> 
> The Hunger Games Trilogy is the property of Suzanne Collins. No money was made off of the creation of this fanwork.


End file.
